Above: Pleasant Homes co-owners Simon Boersma and Gary Hauk stand by the new shower trailer unit that will go to the Boyle Street Mission to assist the city’s homeless. – Stephen Dafoe Photo
by Stephen Dafoe
Boyle Street Community Services will soon be the recipient of a special trailer unit with three showers to assist the city’s homeless population.
Pleasant Homes co-owner Simon Boersma is part of a group called Legacy Plus that works to fill voids in communities that need help. Recently, the group decided to take on securing a trailer with multiple showers, which will be used by Boyle Street along with a warming bus used in the winter.
“It’s a group of people that are maybe older, and they don’t want to be in a club anymore, but they want to still help,” Boersma said of Legacy Plus, adding members participate in the initiatives that resonate with them.”Everybody has a want and a need, and if you want to help with it [a project], that’s great. If you don’t, you’re still part of the club, but it’s just not your flavour of the month.”
Boersma said four or five in the group, including himself, saw the need for showers.
“We said let’s get these guys off the street, but how do we start. It’s those first steps, and showering is a big first step. If you go for a job interview and you’ve showered, how much better do you feel?”
Legacy Plus joined forces with Boyle Street, and Boersma approached partner Gary Hauk about the idea of Pleasant Homes supporting the shower trailer project. Hauk agreed with the initiative.
Boersma said the best price he could find in the area for a shower unit was $120,000. Ultimately, the group was able to get a unit from the United States for $34,000 US.
The trailer unit has three shower units, a 200-gallon tank, and an on-demand heating system. Boersma said because the trailer is only showers, it can drain into Edmonton’s sewer system.
“They were able to take the toilets out for us, which we needed. We can’t have anything in there other than a shower,” Boersma said. “We worked with Boyle Street to make sure they had the manpower to man these showers. They looked at the safety rules, and they worked with the City of Edmonton to be able to get water and power. So they are a sponsor. There’s companies like us that are also sponsoring.”
Boersma said tokens would be given to the city’s homeless to use the showers, which will follow the warming bus. Between every shower, there will be a complete washdown of the unit. Each shower unit has a locker, so backpacks and clothing can be secured while showering.
Boyle Street will receive the trailer sometime in September after sponsor decals are applied.
For more information on Legacy Plus, visit http://legacyplus.club
