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City to open shower facilities at Royal Athletic Park to people without homes

People without homes who are living in public parks during the COVID-19 pandemic soon will be able to take a shower at Royal Athletic Park.
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Central Park is one of several Victoria parks where people have set up tents. DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST

People without homes who are living in public parks during the COVID-19 pandemic soon will be able to take a shower at Royal Athletic Park.

Victoria city councillors voted Thursday to either open the park’s shower facilities or set up a portable shower trailer in the parking lot.

Mayor Lisa Helps said additional money needed to operate and clean the showers will come from federal and provincial pandemic “restart” programs.

“I think access to hygiene is a very basic human right,” Coun. Jeremy Loveday said. “And if we have these showers available and can let the public use them in this time of crisis, I think that’s an important step we can take.”

— Times Colonist