Moving homeless shelters to remote golf courses 'inconsistent' with research from last winter

London, Ont. — City hall’s plan to open temporary homeless shelters at a pair of municipal golf courses is facing scrutiny from a researcher who studied last year’s winter response in London.

Dr. Jodi Hall, a professor at Fanshawe College, and Dr. Tracy Smith-Carrier, an associate professor at Royal Roads University conducted the study “WISH in the Winter: A Harm Reduction Approach to Shelter Use during Covid-19” last winter at the construction trailer shelters on York Street and Elizabeth Street.

“Our analysis of the data did not yield results consistent with a move to more temporary sheltering outside the city core,” explained Hall.

She tells CTV News that the Wish Evaluation Team’s findings are based on interviews with the workers, stakeholders and residents who participated last year.

“While most identified a need for greater privacy from each other because of the thin walls in the trailers, it would be a stretch to assume they meant a move to a location that would enhance their isolation.”

But on Wednesday, city hall’s Deputy City Manager of Social and Health Development Kevin Dickins, told a news briefing that people living unsheltered are, “trying to find isolated places to be out of the watchful eye of the community, neighbours, and passerby.”

There is general consensus that the temporary location at York and Colborne didn’t offer much privacy for residents and attracted uninvited guests.

The location on Elizabeth Street was unpopular with many of the neighbours.

Shuttle service will be offered to residents at each site and London Transit bus service is available near the former River Road Golf Club.

The city’s $1.9-million Winter Response Program for Unsheltered Individuals, will include bringing services and resources directly to residents living at the golf course shelters.

Each will have 30 to 35 residents.

Dickins was unavailable for an interview on Thursday to address concerns raised by Hall on Twitter that the city did not seek input or data from the study before deciding on the golf course locations.

Instead, he sent a written statement to CTV News that reads in part, “...our understanding is that the results of the study aren’t yet available. While we haven’t consulted with this research team, we have involved WISH in our planning process.”

Hall worries there will be gaps because many services exist in core areas, “This move takes people away from important supports and resources that are not the more formalized supports that will be brought on site.”

The winter response to homelessness will be discussed at the Nov. 2 meeting of city council’s Community and Protective Services Committee.