The Hamilton Hotel in Williams Lake is not being used as an emergency shelter.
Owner Anju Kumar Saxena, who purchased the downtown hotel in December 2018, and his manager Jay Shah said Friday, Feb. 12 they have had people showing up expecting they can stay there.
“We are a regular hotel and not being used as a shelter,” Shah told the Tribune.
A proposal the hotel be used as a temporary emergency shelter was discussed during a special city council meeting held Dec. 18, 2020.
The Situation Table Stakeholders asked council to write a letter of support to BC Housing, subject to the hotel meeting all legal requirements and safety requirements.
Council agreed to write the letter and committed to provide up to $10,000 in funding.
Read more: Williams Lake city council endorses proposal to use downtown hotel as emergency night shelter
Saxena and Sha, however, said they have not signed any contract to provide the service.
Earlier this week the city set up a daytime warming area in the Boitanio Park picnic shelter with tarps and heaters that is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily for the next two weeks at least.
The Cariboo Friendship Society is operating its regular emergency shelter on Third Avenue South as well as at the Longhouse above the Stampede Grounds for overnight lodging. Additional beds were installed in the Longhouse this year so physical distancing measures could be implemented.
Read more: Longhouse temporary emergency shelter almost ready for occupants
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