TD shelter village taking shape - fast

The Dalles City Councilor Darcy Long-Curtiss was on site this morning at a new houseless shelter village being erected on Bargeway Road. The six shelters will be able to house 12 people and will be under the watchful eye of a corp group of volunteers.

Pallet Shelters employees put together the temporary housing this morning. Brandon Nordmeyer at left runs a bolt in while AJ Rogers comes around the corner to check out the work.

Contractors are making quick work of a houseless shelter project on Bargeway Road today, Nov. 5.

“They will all be up today, and we expect the electricity to be in by Tuesday,” said Darcy Long-Curtiss who was on site this morning.

The Dalles City Councilor who has been spearheading the project for months said she was ecstatic to see the installation coming to a conclusion. 

The village of six units is at the end of Terminal Way in a gravel lot between Northwest Natural and Oregon Cherry Growers. Six of the eight-foot by eight-foot insulated shelters were being put together by a crew from Pallet Shelters in Everett, Wash. The village will be capable of housing 12 people.

A recreational trailer will also be brought in and, Volunteers will stay on-site to provide guidance and rule enforcement. 

Long-Curtiss said she is currently recruiting folks to volunteer and asking for money donations and or items.  Click here to sign up.

She hopes to have the shelters open by this weekend as The Dalles is anticipating a cold snap. Temperatures are forecasted to be 33 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday and 28 on Sunday. 

The shelter was made possible when Councilor Darcy Long-Curtiss applied for and received a $45,000 grant through the Mid-Columbia Community Action Council for the structures, which come on a pallet and are quick to put up and take down. 

The shelters will be in place through the end of March.