It has been needed for a long time, and now a new shelter has finally opened in Vernon.

Our Place will have 46 beds and was financed by BC Housing.

When building the shelter that is adjacent to Howard House in South Vernon, planners considered every detail that would help the guests including the shelter being wheelchair accessible, a first for Vernon, having rooms for couples, allowing pets into the shelter and other amenities

Randene Wejr, co-executive director of Collaborative Turning Points Society, said people will move into the shelter as early as Wednesday.

The shelter features 46 shelter beds, a dining room, commercial kitchen, laundry facilities and washrooms. Beds are also available for people with disabilities and seniors.

"Housing is one of the three fundamental necessities of life, and by providing shelter for people who need it, we are helping them stay warm and dry in the short term and hopefully we can help assist them to obtain permanent accommodation as quickly as possible,” said Mayor Victor Cumming who toured the facility Tuesday.

Turning Points Collaborative Society will operate the shelter and provide guests with meal services, along with access to life-skills training, employment programs and counselling, as well as health and legal services through a community network.

There will also be a small medical room where guests can meet with a doctor who will be at the shelter one day a week.

A homeless count conducted in October 2018 found 161 people living rough in the city.

And those living on the streets must carry all of their earthly possessions with them, so Wejr said a separate building will be used as storage for the guests, something that was high on the priority list.

"Our Place is an important first step in homelessness prevention," said Wejr. "Thanks to our housing partners and community stakeholders for supporting this project to help people experiencing homelessness toward the first steps to recovery."