In the midst of a brutal cold snap, the Salvation Army has struggled with frozen pipes and is taking measures to prevent a costly disaster similar to what occurred three years ago, when frozen pipes resulted in a $4-million repair bill and displaced clients for almost a month.
“Like everybody else here, we have been struggling,” said Tony Brushett, executive director of the Salvation Army in Yellowknife. “We have frozen pipes in the building, and some of our washrooms are closed off. We’re working with heaters up against the walls and contractors coming in, breaking up the ice, just trying to make sure we don’t have a major water break.”
Despite recent temperatures dropping to between -40 C and -50 C, the pipes are no longer frozen, and there is hope that the -20s C in the forecast for later week will aid the building’s recovery without significant damage.
The extreme cold also caused propane — which powers the stoves, ovens, and dishwashers — to gel and slow down, leading to a temporary shutdown of these appliances. The staff hand-washed dishes for three days until technicians could resolve the issue.
Staff at the 45 Street shelter made preparations prior to the cold snap arriving, such as placing extra beds in the building “just so nobody has to go outside,” Brushett emphasized.
However, the food bank, open twice weekly, was still confronted by a significant increase in demand, with 50 to 60 families a day seeking assistance, up from about 30 clients during normal times.
“After Christmas and with this cold snap, we’re seeing more new families who are obviously struggling because the electricity utility bills are higher,” Brushett noted.
The Salvation Army is also grappling with the financial burden of all these challenges.
“Our expenses have gone extremely high, just with us bringing contractors in to keep things under control here,” Brushett remarked. “We’re actually spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to try and save the millions of dollars bills that can come. We didn’t budget for this, but we still have to find a way to pay to bring these contractors in and to keep staff on, to make sure that everything in the building is usable so that we do not have to turn people away.”
In terms of infrastructure, the 40-year-old building may require major renovations to withstand the yearly cold snaps. The staff are working tirelessly, checking on the building around the clock to prevent any issues, Brushett noted.
Amid these trying times, a heartwarming act of generosity stands out, according to Brushett. A mother and her two young children, around five or six years old, visited the Salvation Army to donate a Mason jar full of money they children had earned from cleaning bathrooms at home. Motivated by a desire to help those struggling, the youngsters contributed approximately $50 without seeking any recognition or reward.
”That $50 to me meant as much… because they gave from their hearts,” said Brushett. “I can turn that into about $300 worth of food with one of our agencies here.”