The Connect Warming Centre will be used as an emergency shelter for those displaced by the Courtenay Travelodge fire.
The fire broke out at around 3:00am Tuesday and destroyed a second-floor unit. It also damaged neighbouring units in one of three buildings on the property.
The motel is being used for supportive housing during the pandemic.
Roughly 30 people were displaced by the fire.
During an emergency meeting last night, council unanimously passed a motion to allow up to 10 fire victims to stay at the centre at 685 Cliffe Avenue.
The building code exemption to allow the centre to be used as emergency shelter will remain in effect until such time as alternative accommodations can be found for the displaced residents, or until Nov. 2nd, whichever comes first.
Meanwhile, Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells told Vista Radio the response was a great collaboration between the Courtenay and Comox fire departments and the regional district.
“The regional district actually supplied a bus to help get the affected folks away from the building, and by about 9:00am our city staff had already scheduled an emergency meeting for our council to meet and deliberate on providing spaces at the Connect Centre for them to stay at during this emergency,” Wells said.
Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire.
