Proposed mobile homeless shelter doesn’t impress this homie

The Abbotsford duo behind a proposed rolling shelter for the homeless — a wooden box, apparently on dolly truck wheels — showed off a prototype of their creation yesterday.

Gruban, left, and Pastor Draper pose beside a mobile homeless shelter Tuesday in Abbotsford.Click the image to go to the Province newspaper’s item — Photo: Ric Ernst.

The idea was hatched between Jeff Gruban, a member of a Fraser Valley atheist, skeptics and humanists group, and pastor Ward Draper of The 5 and 2 Ministries. They both figured there had to be a better way to help the homeless, than covering the problem with chicken manure. Gruban built the makeshift “mobile home” in his workshop. Gruban isn’t a professional carpenter, he just “enjoys puttering around.” He used particle board for the box. It has two wheels at the back, a steering wheel at the front, door, window and curved plastic roof. It’s two metres long, one metre wide, and a little over a metre high. The cost was $150.

Pastor Ward Draper extolled the virtues of the box to the media: “When people are warm and dry, they will not get sick as often,” he said. “They’re cozy. Much better than a tent.” And better than nothing, say advocates.

Gruban, and Draper explained that one of the first units, located in a downtown parking lot, has been used by a homeless man named Jesse for the last four nights. “He loves it,” said Draper.

I find myself agreeing with Abbotsford Mayor Bruce Banman, who managed to get in yet another box metaphor, even as he poured cold water on the idea.

I’m thrilled people are thinking ‘outside to the box’ to help shelter the homeless,” he said.

“We need to make sure we’re not putting people in harm’s way. It would be a problem if a bunch of units were in the same area and God forbid there was a fire.”

Remember, this is Abbotsford, part of British Columbia’s Bible Belt — God forbids a lot here. But I agree with his Worship, the boxes look like rickety fire traps. And, I for one wouldn’t want to be tucked into one when rowdy, young, weekend drunks happen along. This is a class of individual who never tire of knocking over mailboxes, and, newspaper boxes, and, occasionally setting fire to things.

Of course, there’s little chance of them catching fire through our long Winter of rain. That particle board had better be well waterproofed; without proper sealant, particle board soaks up water and swells.

I’m obviously not impressed, and will not be trading in my cozy, dry, clean parkade, but during this Homeless Action Week in Vancouver, I guess I’m supposed to feel warm, and fuzzy that someone’s trying something, good or otherwise, and like the old saw says, “Beggars can’t be choosers.”