Salvation Army's new, improved homeless shelter opens in downtown Whitehorse

Whitehorse's new homeless shelter a hard-to-missbuilding in the city's downtown officially opened on Friday, with officials and dignitaries giving speeches and getting a tour of the multi-million dollar facility.

The new Salvation Army "Centre of Hope" is markedly bigger than the old shelter, across the street on Fourth Avenue.

"I'm really excited," said Yukon's Health and Social Services Minister Pauline Frost. "It will be life-changing for a lot of people in our community."

The centre will have 25 emergency shelter beds, and 20 transitional housing apartments. It will be open sevendays a week, offering drop-in programs and community meals.

"It can be a bed for a night or it can be support for a future," Frost said.

"No one in our community should ever be left behind, no matter where you are in your life, or circumstances that arepresented to you in life."

The Yukon government contributed more than $10 million to the project, and the Government of Canada also contributed some funds. It was first announced in early 2015 and was originally slated to open last year, but workwas delayed by contamination found on the site.

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And the facility is still not in use. The emergency shelter and community meals program are planned to begin later this month, and the transitional apartments and drop-in programs won't open until early next year.

'An incredible space'

Lee Graves, the Salvation Army's chief secretary for Canada, spoke at the opening and said the facilitywas designed and built with evident care and thought.

"It's an incredible space that will bring that important dignity and lift to all who might enter through the doors," Graves said.

He also offered a prayer, to "consecrate this space and dedicate it to the glory of God."

Council of Yukon First Nations Grand Chief Peter Johnston followed, and said it will also be important to recognize First Nations culture and spiritualism.

"Unfortunately, most of the people that are going to utilize this facility are going to be our people," he said.

Johnston then presented Graves with a carving by Ta'anKwch'n artist Jared Kane, to be displayed in the facility,called "The Healing Spirit."