SNOW: What If Sprung Structure Collapses? PATTON
Our recent huge snowstorms have Bulldog commentator Mike Patton concerned about the structural integrity of sprung structures for refugees:
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Mike Patton is the former communications director for Mayor Larry O’Brien and the president of the Ottawa West-Nepean PC Association.
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I didn’t know that! I always thought that the risks were electrical failures, fires, and disputes. My friend was in the Civic Hospital sprung shelter recently and he said it was incredibly noisy. A cell phone noise is heard throughout the entire shelter as there’s no sound absorption. Same with snoring. Disputes are inevitable. Electrical failures are too and with electric heating they tent will drop in temperature very quickly, enough to bring in the up to 10 OC Transpo buses needed to accommodate them. Those with beds near the walls will be colder and there’s a pretty good chance people will bring in space heaters which have a fire risk. The city doesn’t plan for risks. It just wings it
The refugees you mentioned would have their first opportunity to deal with the Canadian judicial system, finding a lawyer then suing the City of Ottawa. Since it’s likely they’d win their case the city would be looking at adding more money to the current $36M deficit with Ottawans receiving nothing in return.
A reminder that foul language on the bulldog results in banning. k
Mike,
The other issue besides snow is that the area the tent is in has been visited by tornadoes and a derecho in the not-too-distant past and sustained considerable damage. Has the City planned for that eventuality?
C,
Good points – I hadn’t considered the noise factor. Between residents and staff, that will mean well over a hundred cell phones and presumably people looking for jobs and housing could be receiving frequent calls. You can add to that the general hubbub of residents talking with each other and with staff. Aside from the logistic issues, it’s not going to be a very peaceful environment and could well lead to mental health problems by exacerbating or creating trauma for people. Constant noise is not good for anyone. At least the staff members get to go home at the end of their shift. The residents will be stuck there.
I don’t think they’ll resort to OC Transpo buses to shelter them if there’s an emergency that requires evacuation. That’s usually done in situations where there isn’t a convenient city facility nearby – one such as the Sportsplex with its gyms and meeting halls.
The bus option is normally used until people can go back into their apartments or the Sally Ann/Red Cross teams find them a place to stay, usually a hotel. I suspect the Sprung structure residents will be accommodated with cots in the Sportsplex, not hotels. First, there is the expense of hotels and, second, they will want to keep people together so they can continue to offer them services efficiently.
If that’s not the plan, maybe the City should let people know what the emergency backup plan is. That is, of course, assuming they have one.