A popular neighborhood fitness and swimming center will now be used to house the homeless who have been affeetd by the coronavirus.
The Sharon Baucom Dale City Rec Center (DCRC), located at 14300 Minnieville Road in Dale City, will be used as a shelter for adults who are homeless during Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s shutdown issued in late March in response to the spread of the coronavirus.
The rec center will temporarily replace an overnight homeless shelter and the Bill Mehr Drop-In Center whose functions are now combined at the Dale City Rec Center. The rec center was opened to homeless individuals on Friday, May 1 at 6:30 p.m., according to a Prince William County spokeswoman.
The purpose is to allow sufficient social distancing and a place for adults experiencing homelessness to shelter, she adds.
Streetlight Community Outreach Ministries is the contracted service provider with support from the Prince William County Department of Social Services (DSS). The Prince William County Government tells Potomac Local News that the Department of Social Services is unaware of any other community centers being converted to house adults experiencing homelessness.
Prior to its decision to house the homeless at the recreation center, the county had already closed all fitness and rec centers, and playgrounds due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Under normal circumstances, the Dale City Recreation Center is open to the public and features a cardio and strength training area, multipurpose rooms used for dancing, tumbling, and martial art, basketball and volleyball courts, a pilates studio, and hot tub.
