It’s the end of another era for the former Schwaben Club in Kitchener.
The King Street building, which has been operating as an emergency shelter since 2022, officially closed its doors on Monday.
With no other location ready to replace it, the closure means a loss of almost 100 beds in the local shelter system.
The King Street Emergency Shelter was managed by The Working Centre and residents could stay as long as they wanted or needed.
“The Region of Waterloo has worked hard to find spaces for individuals who are in the shelter, but it means the shelter system is that much tighter because of the loss of these spaces,” Joe Mancini, The Working Centre’s director, told CTV News. “[The King Street Emergency Shelter] was a place where 100 people had a place to be every day. Not having that space is unfortunate because those individuals will have no other choice but to be wandering the streets looking for a place of warmth.”
According to Mancini, some residents moved to the women’s shelters in Kitchener and Cambridge.
The Working Centre will also be opening 44 supportive housing units on Victoria Street, but they won’t be ready for residents until the fall.
The former Schwaben Club, meanwhile, will be replaced with high-rise apartments.
