The community response to ongoing construction of a planned hygiene center for homeless individuals in Centralia has been largely positive. Residents have voiced support for the project via letters and social media.
The $1250,000 structure, spearheaded by The Salvation Army, is being made possible in part by $24,00 raised by Rotary clubs of Centralia, Chehalis and the Twin Cities.
When complete, it will offer showers, bathrooms and place to wash clothes for those who are currently considered homeless.
“There are no public restrooms here in this part of town, and for people to be able to better themselves, they need to be clean and feel clean, because you can’t go apply for a job if you smell bad; no one will hire you,” said Maj. DeWayne Halstad, of The Salvation Army.
The local charity will also provide those who seek the services with shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes to help them manage their appearance and seek advancement within the community.
While the goal is just, it’s important that those involved recognize the potential problems with the hygiene center.
One need look no further than the nearby Centralia Train Depot to see issues that could potentially arise.
Residents of the downtown area have been pleading with the city and its law enforcement to better police the area as a number of undesirable, and sometimes illegal, activities have occurred there.
There have been legitimate reports of drug use and sales in addition to prostitution. Many have said they feel unsafe at the historic structure, which sits just one block away from Tower Avenue at a major transit entrance point to the city.
Those frustrations continue, and while it’s unfair to blame those who could be described as homeless for the issues, there are undoubtedly members of that population contributing to the problem.
The success of the hygiene center will largely rely on The Salvation Army’s management of the facility.
If possible, that should potentially include surveillance cameras at access points and a healthy relationship with the Centralia Police Department. Law enforcement should be notified when and if there is apparent drug use or excessive loitering in the area, which is surrounded by homes and private property.
If managed correctly, the center could indeed become an asset for the Hub City.
In either case, the project certainly represents a good-faith effort in helping to assist some of the most vulnerable and downtrodden members of our community.
We hope it becomes just that and not a magnet for illegal activity or an expansion of the problems currently found at the Centralia Train Depot.
