By Mark Squibb
The City of Mount Pearl this week approved a $5,000 donation request from Our Lady Queen of Families Parish – formerly St. Peter’s – for the installation of heat pumps in the church and parish hall to help establish a community emergency centre.
“We’ve just had the pumps put in the last few weeks,” said Father Wayne Dohey, who noted the church can accommodate well over 300 people in an emergency situation. “People can drop in and cool off, and then in the winter, if the power goes, they can come here to warm up.”
Prior to COVID, the church installed a generator, so that people can stay warm even in the event of a power outage.
Dohey said the parish is appreciative of the City’s donation, noting the provincial and federal governments have also pitched in over the years, in addition to donations from parishioners.
“We reached out to the City, because of course they have an emergency plan in place, and we want to let them know we want to be a part of that mission,” said Dohey. “It’s wonderful that the City, the parish, and the community can rally together, because it’s too late to start talking about emergency centres when the power goes in the middle of February. It’s too late to start talking about the heat in July. It’s intervention now that prevents chaos in the event of a future emergency.”
Dohey said the emergency shelter service is open to everyone in the community regardless of church membership or religion.
“We have a facility here that is less than 25 years old, it’s excellent for this service, and we will continue to improve upon it,” said the priest.
Dohey hopes to install showers and purchase pull-out cots in the future.
“You’re always building upon what you have, and hopefully improving to make the facility a better place,” he said.
