Group lodging options eyed for evacuees with little vacancy in Kamloops hotels

Photo: Tim Petruk

Volunteers and evacuees inside the emergency support services centre on McArthur Island on Wednesday afternoon.

With hotel space hard to come by, the City of Kamloops is looking into group lodging options for evacuees forced out of Cache Creek by high water.

“Definitely that is an area of concern for us right now, but we have yet to be unable to provide lodging to an evacuee,” Will Beatty, the city’s emergency preparedness manager, told Castanet Kamloops.

“We’re looking for additional hotel space or the potential for group lodging.”

That could mean cots set up in a gymnasium or another large facility to temporarily house some of the estimated 300 Cache Creek residents impacted by a wide-ranging evacuation order that took effect on Tuesday evening.

“We’re not there yet, but it is something that would be on the table and is being discussed as hotel space starts to kind of dry up,” Beatty said.

“We do have the Memorial Cup coming and we’re inviting delegates here to come and showcase this event in Kamloops, but at the same time we’re still trying to provide those compassionate services to evacuees.”

Angela Tasker, head of the Kamloops Accommodation Association, said there is a lot of demand right now for rooms.

“I don’t know what everybody’s availability looks like, but I know it is busy,” she said. “May long weekend is typically a sold-out weekend."

Tasker, who is sales director at the Coast Kamloops, said there are still some rooms to be had.

“It is quite busy, but I can tell you right now that at the Coast Kamloops we still have some rooms left — but that’s because we had a conference that let some go," she said.

“There’s still rooms in the city. It’s just a matter of where and when."

Beatty encouraged evacuees to stay with friends or family if possible.

“Personal preparedness is best here,” he said.

“So if you’ve got family or friends that you can stay with, that is the best option — then we can provide supports remotely.”