Christian Gammon-Roy
Tribune
No More Tears West Nipissing is undergoing yet another expansion, with their recent move to a much bigger space. The homelessness hub, which had been at 191 Main Street in Sturgeon Falls, didn’t move very far, having now taken over the building at 201A Main Street next door. However, members estimate that they now have access to at least triple the amount of floor space. As Executive Director Delia Greenlees explains, it’s the first time that NMTWN has a hub that they haven’t immediately outgrown, but in fact can grow into.
Now, clients have plenty of space to sit, walk around and rest when they visit the site, compared to the old location. “There, we were seeing 35 people throughout the day, in a tiny space. I think it was 600 square feet, and we’re trying to accommodate 35 people, which could have the potential for some bad stuff happening. Having the separation, well, these guys have been sleeping during the day and are well-rested because there’s no noise from this side here,” describes Greenlees.
Indeed, a wall provides separation between a seating area with chairs and tables, and a cozy dark nook where clients are catching up on sleep on some couches. At the back of the hub also sit a series of three offices for Greenlees, Executive Assistant of Client Services Amanda Wells, and a vacant office for organisations to use when they need a private space to work with their clients.
