Due to temperatures dropping below 40 degrees each night this week, the City of Columbia will open the Homeless Shelter (191 Williams Street) this evening  and remain open for the duration of the cold weather season.  The planned opening date for the shelter was November 1, 2008 but that date has been moved up to today, October 27, 2008.  
 
Details regarding security and transportation are below:
 
Security / Police Coverage for the Emergency Winter Shelter for October 20, 2008:
 
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. - Columbia Police Officer will be at the shelter
 
9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. - Community Safety Officer will be at the shelter with the Columbia Police Department Territory Officer checking by hourly.
 
5:00 a.m.to 7:00 .am. - Columbia Police Officer will be at the shelter
 
 
Below are the transportation routes established for the 2008 Winter Shelter. The routes will run in the evening from 6:00 pm until 9:45pm and again from 6:00am until 9:00 am.

The following pickup and drop-off points or ports are:

1.Housing Authority at Calhoun Street parking lot entrance.
2.Laurens Street in Elgin’s parking lot (near Greyhound Bus Station)
3.Barnwell and Taylor Streets across from Dollar general (on Barnwell Street)
4.Washington and Lincoln (old railroad bridge across from Justice Square)
5.Richland County Magistrate/Traffic Court 1400 Huger Street. Upper lot across from old SCE & G Bus Parking lot.
6.Elmwood and Lincoln Streets near the BP Gas Station. (pick up only)
7.Earlewood Park parking lot.
8.Ft. Jackson –K-Mart parking lot near Jackson Boulevard side
9.Mid block – Laurel and Sumter Streets.