Good Afternoon, and thank you for being here today.

The existing Emergency Shelter run by the Salvation Army on North Street is old, and only has a capacity of 50 persons (35 males and 15 females), which is inadequate to meet the demand for homeless persons. The proposed redevelopment of the emergency shelter at North Street reflects an urgent need for both an upgraded physical infrastructure and on-site social programming.

Today, I want to introduce to the media and the public the concept design for redevelopment of the North Street Emergency Shelter. Government has engaged the consulting firm CS&P Consultants from Canada to design this project. This firm, represented here today by Christine Vozoris, Craig Goodman and Sam Spagnuolo, has broad experience in the design of similar facilities overseas.

The proposed North Street Emergency Shelter is considered to be part of a continuum and will represent Phase I of three housing phases necessary to address the homeless issue in Bermuda. The three Phases are illustrated on the handout issued today. Phases 2 and 3 represent transitional housing and more affordable low-cost housing respectively, and are phases where clients have more independent living and require less social programming and intervention.

With that as background, I now invite the consultants to share with you the concept design for the redevelopment of the North Street Emergency Shelter. I would ask that you hold questions until the presentation is completed.

Thank You.

The Hon. Dale D. Butler, JP, MP
Minister of Culture and Social Rehabilitation