Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday agreed to use the gymnasiums of two city recreation centers for overnight shelter of the homeless, despite the city’s fire chief expressing concerns about the safety of the idea. Commissioners at their weekly meeting unanimously approved a plan to use the Community Building, 115 W. 11th St., and the East Lawrence Recreation Center, 1245 E. 15th Street, to each house up to 75 people experiencing homelessness during cold winter nights. The plan, though, required the city to temporarily suspend portions of the city’s fire code meant to protect life and safety, and Fire Chief Shaun Coffey told commissioners he didn’t support the plan due to those changes.
Source: LJWorld.com.
