Covid-19 has meant that Transition House has been “unable to operate at full capacity while meeting public health guidelines” but the Ford Government is supporting a local move to expand the capacity using space at the Cobourg Collegiate Institute (CCI). This is possible because schools are closed until April 5 and perhaps longer. The temporary shelter is the first of its kind in Ontario and came about because of work by MPP David Piccini coordinating the County, the School board, the HKPR Health unit and Transition House. This follows the closing of the Police Station Comfort centre because of Covid-19 concerns. Bob Sanderson, Warden, Northumberland County said “In this time of uncertainty, residents can be assured that public organizations and community partners continue to work cooperatively together to address local needs, and ensure a robust response against the spread of COVID-19 in our community.”
Anne Newman, Executive Director, Transition House said: “The health and safety of our clients and staff is Transition House’s number one priority. The temporary relocation of emergency shelter services to Cobourg Collegiate Institute will enable us to implement the recommended social distancing measures in our operations, and strengthen prevention against COVID-19 in the emergency shelter system. Thanks to a united effort by community partners to make this move possible, Transition House is positioned to maintain our current capacity in providing essential services for the most vulnerable members of our community.”
It’s clear that the key issue in many cases is the need to maintain social distancing – that’s the requirement to stay 2 meters apart from anyone else.
Other Key Covid-19 News
- There are now four confirmed case that have been treated at NHH.
- The Town has declared a state of Emergency.
- People have started to use takeout and pickup of restaurant food a lot more so a list of these is now available (link below).
- Float your Fanny Down the Ganny in Port Hope has been cancelled.
- NHH now limits visitors and volunteers have stopped their work at the hospital.
- Supermarkets are working on making shopping safer.
For more details on these and a lot more, go to the special Covid-19 in Cobourg page.
Print Article:
Below is a copy of a posting On the Transition House web site dated April 9, 2020. There is no reason posted why the complete change in operations. In my view Town Leadership needs to provide an explanation to Cobourg residents.
Copied from the Transition House web site posted April 9, 2020:
“In order to continuously improve our service and support during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have altered our operations. Effective immediately, Transition House will be fully operational at CCI (Cobourg Collegiate Institute), located on the east side of town at 335 King St. E. The 10 Chapel St. location will be closed as all operations, including food distribution, will be managed at the CCI location.”
Transition House is operated by the County, not the Town of Cobourg. I expect the school board was also involved since schools are their responsibility.
Schools are not a County responsibility but a provincial one.
This was such poor planning and a horrid band aid and NOT a solution to the homeless issue in Cobourg and the ongoing problems that arise from Transition House. There are 1100 students who will now have the stigma of being the “homeless shelter high school”! Why on earth was the vacant Memorial Arena not considered? The vacant hotels/motels where proper physical distancing could be practiced? Brookside, where there are 7 inmates who could easily have been moved temporarily?
Does anyone know if the temporary transition house residents are being tested for the corona virus?
Testing seems doubtful. Based on TV news reports even essential healthcare workers are not being tested.
It has been rumoured (pre Covid), that Memorial has mould and therefore would be unsuitable. Perhaps someone from the town or council reading this could verify.
One poster comments on the decision making process. In a March 20, 2020 Global News Item announcing this move Mr. Piccini states that “plan was delivered within 48 hours”. In my view this suggests limited reaching out for input or to consider all options/pros and cons.
Was Brookside considered? It’s never too late to revisit all options, many coming from the public who play an important role in preventing the spread.
How is that a good idea does anybody use there [deleted] brains why would you put anyone that could possibly have the virus in a place where there’s going to be a bunch of kids whoever thought of that is a [deleted] idiot
I would love to see the decision making process the powers to be used to decide the CCI was the best place to move transition House to.They owe us this information. Mayor Henderson, do your job…the Chinese Communist Flu sh ould not endanger our school.
I believe this to have been done at the county level with local MPP assistance which drew in Doug Ford that wanted a good news storey.
John Henderson is a Warden of our county…let’s head from him on the reasons for the CCI decision.
Your facts are wrong. Port Hope Mayor Bob Sanderson is our County Warden. John Henderson, Cobourg Mayor is a County Councillor. However, your question is a valid one. How was the CCI decision arrived at instead of Brookside?
Did you know you can edit your comment to correct spelling errors & such?
You forgot to throw in Mike Harris.
I liked Mike Harris
For all those that give my post “the thumbs down” I suggest you turn your computers to:
“The Virus That Shames China – You Tube” then perhaps reconsider your thoughts.
“Chinese Communist flu”? How offensive, Mr. Draper should delete racist posts like this. Now is not too soon.
Deb
Two points – the thumbs down indicate what most think of it. Second it’s not racist, without viewing the You-tube video (I haven’t) it’s criticising a country, not a race. The virus clearly comes from China. They also seem to have been more successful (than e.g. Italy) at managing the issue so knowing what they did may be helpful to us – although we may not like their methods.
My comments and questions have been and will always be directed to the Communist Party of China and any who support it. It was the “Party” that put a lid on the virus starting mid Nov. 2019 apparently instead of keeping it out in the open.
China is ruled by a racist totalitarian dictatorshit with the world’s most ubiquitous surveillance system since the Stasi terrorized East Germany. Think the invasion, occupation and cultural genocide of Tibet. Think Uyghurs (Muslims) incarceration by the millions in instantly built “re-education camps” which were the template for their instant 10-day hospitals. And a sub-minister of the Chinese health department accused the USA of planting the virus as a bioweapon; this in their commie controlled media for the world. Talk about racist political slander. China is the current home of the Big Lie that covered up the virus for weeks and the rest of the planet is paying for that Big Lie. China had committed a crime against humanity. The Big Lie was exploited by the Ayatollah Assahollah, stoned on his religion, proudly rejecting the offers of the United States to provide humanitarian assistance, accusing the USA of planting a special Iranian-DNA virus. These racist lies spread more quickly than the C-19 virus. They are meant to deflect public attention away from their responsibility for the spread of the virus. The China dictator engaged in further deflection by making pious comments about how the USA is racist because the orange man says “Chinese virus”. Poor widdle dictator Xi. Progressives complain that it stigmatizes the Chinese people. BS. They are echo chambers of totalitarian propaganda. Trump pointed out the stigma that the China dictatorshit trying to stick on the USA with their Big Lie. Progressives all too often fall for totalitarian BS. There was such an outpouring of grief from them when Fidel died, completely ignoring that Cuba has been a Castro-family dictstorshit for decades. The Chinese people have no respect for their own totalitarian government and do not swallow the lie, that Western progressives swallow like a sewer culvert and then spread the lie amongst us. The best remedy for this kind of S.O.R.E. virus (Suppression, Oppression, Repression of Expression) is the decongestant of Free Speech.
Good read!
If “Chinese Communist flu” offends you so much, how do you feel about the term “Spanish Flu” for the early 20th century pandemic?
Don’t forget “German measles”. “Ebola” is geographically derived. And “Lyme Disease” maligns a small town in Connecticut. Where do you draw the line?
Progressives are inclined to draw the line across our social throats.
This comment does nothing positive, constructive or useful…nor does the use of the term Chinese (Communist) Flu. It only emboldens the intolerant and re-enforces stereotypes. It’s divisive by design and we need less of that, not more during our currently situation.
What stereotype does it re-enforce? That dictatorshits are inherently unhealthy to humankind? And yes, I am intolerant of dictatorshits, and I encourage others to be intolerant of dictatorshits. We need more of this. It is a inconvenient truth, but there it is. Would you have counselled individuals to be more tolerant of the dictatorshit of the “Nazionalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei” (National Socialist German Workers’ Party)?
Rob, what first hand knowledge or experience have you had with dictatorshits?
delete
Exactly. What every dictator calls for.
Lots of opinions here. I’m not homeless or drug addicted but I do know they are people too. I’m thankful that I have lived a good life and I’m thankful that our politicians and Anne Newman and her staff have stepped up to help these people who face great difficulties.
I assume that Ms Newman and her staff have sought and found the best help and advice that is available to make sure this new facility is run in the safest possible way.
This is a serious crisis. Some of you need to step out of the bubble you have lived most of your life in and realize that you are not the only person on earth who’s concerns are important.
We are all in this together. I do my part by keeping my distance and sitting at home in my retired comfort. Stand up for all of the people who are working hard to deal with this crisis. Make that your first concern before you make any comment.
Let’s look forward to this being over as soon as possible and be thankful we live in a wealthy country were all parts of our government seem to be working very hard and very well towards solving this new and barely understood unknown risk.
Have A Good Day and a Good Life Doug
The helpful housing is not a bad Idea nor is relocating the Transition House as the integration idea of years gone by clearly no longer works . BUT THE SCHOOL ??? Why not the Old Hockey arena off Ontario st If the Province is not willing to share Brookside
It has both Public and change rm wash rooms and showers . a lounge and a fully equipped Canteen kitchen and restaurant lots of seating and no reason to close it down during the day Plus it has plenty of parking lot and play area for those with children needing shelter and its easily divisible The towns engineering study suggest there is still 15 yrs of life in it .
Im sure the word is out. People from all over are sure to be on their way. All housed under one roof. Does social distancing only apply in certain circumstances?This is a recipe for disaster. Hope im wrong
Are you earnest or stirring? Anyone watching or reading the news would have seen the reports right here in Northumberland County of how they plan to utilize social distancing in a shelter. Pictures and all. Even the homeless would like to survive this pandemic.
You do realize that one test positive quaranteens all,right?
I do. You do realize if the governing authority needs to close transition house or redistribute clients because of the influx of the needy, they will wander the streets, and how many will one person who is carrying this virus infect? At least they will be sheltered, screened daily and have medical clearance daily. The limited area the school uses for this purpose will be cleaned just like they do in any other area once infected. IE hospitals
They will be wandering the streets every morning at 8am when it closes daily for cleaning. The chances of bringing Covid-19 back in nightly will make it even more difficult to contain amongst themselves. This was Not a well thought out plan and done hastily and without concern of any long term consequences.Other municipalities are closing shelters and investigating use of hotels rooms so people can be isolated from each other and more easily quarantined when necessary. We decide to open a shelter?
There is no point in discussing this further with you. The first-hand experience I have had working for the emergency services for over thirty years with direct patient contact on the streets I can say that I am not uncertain of my position.
Always look to ahead and not in the mirror Your past experiences mean little now because no one has experienced this.
Ah, if we forget the lessons of the past, we are doomed to repeat them. Are you suggesting we learned nothing from the past? Rhetorical. I learn from the past while looking to the future. Do you feel good being so dismissive of a lifetime of knowledge? Where are your ideas? I can’t recall seeing much in the way of constructive suggestions from you. 😉 Or are you here to hone your passive-aggressive skills and continue to be contrary to anyone’s attempt of a solution. 🙂
The problem and solutions should have been addressed when homeless were outside in the winter freezing.
Deflection.
So what’s your plan, if you don’t have one they be at your front door begging and stealing to get something!!!
Not sure who this is directed to. The shelter has not been created to protect you from people stealing. This is actually a pretty offensive remark. The concern i have is putting vulnerable people together when social isolation is a key factor on slowing down the spread of Covid-19.We may be causing more harm then good in the long run and we are all in it for the long haul.
Given the concerns raised about the the Transition House in the Nov. 27/19 posting on this Blog – Neighbours Unhappy with Transition House Usage – would using space at the Brookside Youth Centre down the street from CCI not be a better location for temporary accommodations/meals than CCI. Kids will be going back at some point. Spreading of Covid – 19 has to remain a concern; so keeping CCI clean is important.
My thoughts exactly.
This excellent suggestion has been raised previously but the response from our politicians has been deafening. Have any of our elected officials, local or provincial looked into the matter? What are their findings?
…or maybe “the LACK of response…has been deafening”.
excellent suggestion.
If only the Town would adjust property tax payments as has Toronto done today.
Kudos to MPP for his work, along with others re Transition House.
Now is time to give cash to food banks.
See https://cobourg.civicweb.net/document/187093/Motion%20Special%20Meeting%20-%20Financial%20Assitance%20-%20COV.pdf
for the proposal before Council next week.
I will post on this – scheduled for 1:00 pm Sunday.