How the Woodman explosion inspired a new way to help London's homeless

It's been said London faces a housing crisis and, on Monday, the response resembled how city officials would deal with a disaster.

As part of a one-week blitz, Silverwoods Arena in London's east end has been transformed into a kind of emergency response centre, complete with a triage area, free meals and a section of the arena floor where clients can rest on folding cots.

The doors opened at 8:45 a.m. and more than 60 people were served in the first half hour. By day's end, 145 people came through.

They were offered breakfast, a hot shower, donated clothing and, most importantly, an interview with staff in an effort to connect them with stable, affordable housing. 

It's all part of a larger plan to get vulnerable people off London's streets and into housing before winter arrives.

The services will expand later in the week to include a medical and foot care, veterinary care for pets and a barber. There's a station where people can get help with a lease and another where they can update their identification. Libro Credit Union will be on site to help people open bank accounts.

Providing services under one roof is a new model for London, one aimed to simplify what staff admit was a smattering of multiple services spread across so many points of entry it was difficult to navigate. 

"Once people got through the front door, we get an understanding of what their housing needs are," said Craig Cooper, the city's manager of homelessness prevention. "We've had a lot of conversations around housing, we have showings this afternoon. Hopefully, we can have some successful placements."  

Concept inspired by response to Woodman explosion

The idea for providing services this way came from the August explosion on Woodman Avenue. 

"Seeing how everybody came together, it really just fostered in my mind and my team's mind: Let's do something similar to an emergency reception centre," said Cooper. "It's not an emergency, so to speak, but it is a crisis here in the city on homelessness. So we took the principles from an emergency reception centre and thought about what you see here today." 

Cooper met one woman at the centre who was overjoyed after finding shoes to replace the ill-fitting pair that had caused her months of pain. 

"She was making a joke about burning the old shoes because it was therapeutic," he said.

David Macklin was among the first to arrive as the arena doors opened on Monday. 

He's been homeless for four years and sought help to find an affordable apartment. Macklin is concerned about spending a fifth straight winter out in the cold. 

He got his name on a list for an apartment and is hopeful it will lead to one he can afford. 

The services are important, but Macklin said it's as crucial for the city to show that London's most vulnerable aren't being forgotten. 

"I think one of the biggest problems with people on the street is their feeling of self-worth," he said.  "They have to feel like they're important, that other people care. Then they take initiative themselves and it gives them drive and hope and a reason to go on." 

He says the need for a stepped-up response from the city has been apparent for years.

"It almost is a disaster relief, in a sense," he said.  "They call it a crisis now: it's been a crisis for a decade." 

Cooper admits a one-week blitz won't fix all London's problems. 

"Realistically, we're on a push for the next six or eight," he said. "We recognize the shelters are at capacity and we're trying to create capacity in that system. We're not turning people away."

The arena will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until Friday.