The fires that destroyed the Grand Forks Hotel and damaged the Winnipeg Hotel didn’t only destroy a piece of Grand Forks’ history, it displaced a number of residents too – about 15.
Many of the hotel residents were low-income earners and in the case of the 2nd Street hotel, residents have lost everything, including personal items considered priceless.
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary’s Emergency Social Services’ Director Jane Pring mandated a clothing allowance up to $100, a hotel room for three days and either meal or grocery money. After that, Pring said financial assistance services took over.
Some of the displaced were set up at the Boundary Emergency Transition Housing Society’s cold-weather shelter at the Grand Forks Christian Centre but there is only enough funding for the shelter to remain open until the end of the month, meaning they will have to find some sort of other accommodations afterwards.
The Boundary Community Food Bank was open last Thursday, especially for fire victims and while they still will accept donations for victims, they don’t have anything specific planned.
Grand Forks Hotel residents approached the local CIBC to attempt to set up a trust fund and once it is established – possibly by the end of this week – people can donate.
Something is being done for the affected but not enough. Some residents have said they’ve been able to find a place to stay but others aren’t so lucky.
Some residents lived at the hotels because it was affordable; some felt like the hotels were like home and now home is gone.
People in Grand Forks are known to be generous when it comes to volunteering their time and more of that generosity will be appreciated by those in need.
Donate food items, extra clothing, bedding and sleeping bags that you might have or even money if you can.
Dealing with a loss is never easy, especially when you lose everything, and some are starting from scratch.
– Grand Forks Gazette