'A safe place': New homeless shelter in Yorkton prepares to open its doors to the community
After months upon months of preparations, Yorkton’s new homeless shelter is ready to open on Thursday.
Bruno’s Place and its organizers have worked tirelessly leading up to the opening, and they’re ready to help out Yorkton’s unique vulnerable community.
“This is going to bring a safe place for people to stay, that don't have a home of their own,” said Angela Chernoff, project coordinator.
“This can be a safe place that can provide them with shelter and food.”
Chernoff continued to explain the uniqueness of the vulnerable community in Yorkton. She said it’s a lot of couch surfing, a lot of transient individuals without a place to stay, and a lot of situational or temporary shelter those in the community are looking for.
Specifically, as well, this shelter will fill a current gap in the community’s vulnerable sector. There hasn’t been a shelter men in Yorkton can go until now.
Chernoff added that almost daily, people are messaging the group’s social media pages, looking for a warm place to lay their head for the night, or for a warm meal.
Thursday’s opening, she said, is a big deal for this community.
“The reception to this project has been overwhelmingly positive and people have been incredibly generous and encouraging to us, that has really helped us along,” said Chernoff.
WHERE THE NAME CAME FROM
Bruno’s Place gets its name from a well-known member of Yorkton and Kamsack’s vulnerable community, dating back to the 70s to the 90s.
Bruno walked the streets throughout that time, with some long-term residents describing him as a welcoming soul, yet an enigmatic individual.
Current Yorkton Mayor Mitch Hippsley has been a professional photographer for over 40 years, basing his business in the community. In February 1992, Hippsley snapped a photo of Bruno, which won various awards in the years following.
He said Bruno was a well-educated man from Montreal, and it took some convincing for Hippsley to even get Bruno to sit down and photograph him.
Hippsley couldn’t sleep late one night in late 1991, so he went to the local car wash. There, he heard a rustle in a nearby garbage can.
“And out popped Bruno,” said Hippsley.
“He watched me for a while, then he got out of his barrel and came and talked to me.”
Hippsley said Bruno handed him a couple of the books he had written, and Hippsley asked if he could photograph him.
“He said he would think about it,’” said Hippsley.
Fast forward one year, nearly to the day, when Hippsley was in his business in the back room after all his clients cancelled due to the snow and the cold.
“All of a sudden, I smelt something. And I knew it was Bruno,” said Hippsley.
“Don’t know why, but I knew it was Bruno … I came around from the back end, I saw this silhouette, standing right at the front door, inside.
“He said, ‘I’m here for my portrait session today.’ And I welcomed him, of course, and he told me he had been studying me … he said, ‘I’ve been looking at your work, and I want you to photograph me the way I am, not the way you want me to look,’” explained Hippsley.
Bruno didn’t end up leaving, staying for a four hour session — and about “a few hundred exposures,” Hippsley said.
30 years later, the photo still holds up. A print sits in Hippsley’s office, to this day.
The print has been recreated by an Alberta artist as a fundraiser for the shelter, selling them for $25.
The whole interaction 30 years ago, Hippsley said, is vivid in his memory all these years later.
“I just knew he was a very private man … he was planning to head back to his city, but he felt the need to be here and help out the real needy people here in Yorkton. You could tell that his purpose was to stay here and help,” he said.
Bruno’s presence will continue to help those in need, all these years later, in the city he picked to stay.
Bruno’s Place officially opens Thursday at 7 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police investigation underway outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
There is a large police presence outside of Drake’ Bridle Path mansion Tuesday morning.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
3 Indian nationals accused of murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar facing court in B.C.
Three Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are due to face court Tuesday over the killing that triggered a major diplomatic rift with India.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.