'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
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.