Renovated Weigand Center reopens

Friday, Jun. 19, 2015

SALT LAKE CITY — For the past six weeks the homeless population in Salt Lake City has been more visible during the day because they have been unable to go to the Weigand Homeless Day Center.

The center, operated by Catholic Community Services, closed its doors while new tiling was put on the second floor and other renovations were made. The reopening on June 15 was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting and open house.

While the center was closed, its clients “have had, unfortunately, no other place to be than on the street,” said Salt Lake City Police Deputy Chief Fred Ross, who attended the ribbon-cutting. “It’s increased the opportunity for many of them to become victims and other people to prey on them. We’re very, very fortunate that this is open again so they can get the resources they need.” 

The Weigand Center offers many services, including job help through Workforce Services, health services, a lending library and haircuts. In addition, people can take a shower, do their laundry or simply get out of the elements and watch television.

The renovations came about because “the entire second floor had a very ratty-looking carpet” that needed to be removed, said Dennis Kelsch, CCS director of homeless services. “People were tripping over it. It had been duct-taped in places.” 

Replacing the carpet with tile meant removing all the furnishings on the second floor, so the staff chose to take the opportunity to reorganize the space to accommodate more computers and also create additional meeting rooms for small groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Kelsch said.

“The computer labs are very popular” with the 450 or so people who are served each day at the center, Kelsch said.

James Nakamura, who started going to the Weigand Center two years ago, said “it’s given me hope and it’s also given me a vision of where I want to go, where I’m trying to go, where I hope to go. I couldn’t see clearly before, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel now. What I need to do is make amends with all the shortcomings in my life before I go; that’s what I want my time for now. … It’s a lot, but I can do it now. I’ve got the strength of God in me.” 

About a year ago Nakamura received housing through the Weigand Center and now also works there part-time.

“People don’t realize just how much help they can get here,” said Nakamura during comments he made at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “I lost all hope, and I was so weak in my life, but I’m strong now because of the fact of the Weigand Center here and all the help that I’ve gotten and am still receiving on a daily basis, even if it’s just talking to me.” 

Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams, who also spoke at the ceremony, said in a later interview that “the Weigand Center fills a critical gap” for homeless people during the day, providing not only shelter but also services.

The new tiling was paid for by means of a federal Community Development Block Grant obtained through the county, Kelsch said. 

The renovations have improved the Weigand Center’s ambiance, making it “more conducing for the healing process here, with the wonderful staff,” said homeless advocate Pamela Atkinson during the ceremony. “For our homeless friends, it’s a huge deal. … They know that CCS cares for them [and] cares about them.”