Memorial Arena in downtown Kamloops is expected to return to recreational use in time for the floor hockey season later this year.

That is as the new 50-bed Merit Place shelter at the former Greyhound bus depot at 725 Notre Dame Drive is expected to open its doors next week, according to the City’s Social, Housing, and Community Development Manager, Carmin Mazzotta.

“As Merit Place opens, CMHA will help folks currently sheltering at Memorial Arena gradually transition to the site over a period of two to three weeks,” he said.

“City staff anticipate that Memorial Arena will take approximately three to four weeks to transition back to recreational use once BC Housing has vacated the site.”

Asked who would pay for any work needed to transition Memorial Arena back to recreational use, Mazzotta told NL News that BC Housing will leave the facility in the same original condition it was in before it was used as a shelter.

“Converting to dry floor use is a normal course of operation so they won’t be any additional costs to the taxpayer to do that,” he said.

Another 40-bed temporary shelter called Moira House at 600 Kingston Avenue is expected to be open by late March.

“While this site will provide low-barrier shelter services, the intent will be to triage people who have higher needs and are higher risk to other shelter sites,” Mazzotta said.

“The shelter operator, the Canadian Mental Health Association intends to utilize Moira House for people who have a lower level of vulnerability and need and who may be ready for longer-term housing options as units become available in the community.”

“This doesn’t mean that unsheltered people people experiencing homelessness will be turned away when they arrive at Moira House. They will be triaged to other shelter sites,” he added.

The 20-bed temporary winter shelter at the Stuart Wood gymnasium will wrap up on Mar. 31. It will give way to a new culturally safe day space at 48 Victoria Street West, called The Gathering House, which will open on April 1.