Kelowna residents raise concerns over social support facilities in neighbourhood

Kelowna, B.C., residents who live in the Capri Landmark neighbourhood and specifically in or near Pacific Avenue are raising concerns over a new development planned for the area.

“Major concern,” said Tony Lonergan, who lives in the area.

The City of Kelowna, in partnership with BC Housing, plans to build a 40-unit supportive and complex care facility on Pacific Avenue near Capri Mall.

With a number of social support services already in the area, residents say adding another will compound the neighbourhood’s problems.

“Homeless people are walking down these streets. They’ve damaged buildings,” Lonergan said. “They’re in here, constantly going in the bins and things.

“Like, I think…(it) will get worse.”

In a letter to city council, residents point to other facilities within a two-and-a-half kilometre radius of the proposed site.

“They’re just putting a lot of that kind of facility in this area, and they’re continuing to do it without any consulting of the neighbourhood,” Lonergan.

Some of those facilities include a halfway house, a former hotel turned into housing for at-risk individuals and Stephen Village, a supportive housing complex on Agassiz Road.

Residents who live on or near Agassiz have been documenting ongoing problems such as open drug use, fights and break-ins.

BC Housing has said it will continue to share updates about this project and keep lines of communication open with neighbours as the project progresses.

While no one from the city was available for comment Friday, Mayor Tom Dyas did assure residents at a council meeting last month that city council is aware of the concerns.

“I truly want all of you to know that none of what you have said goes unheard, we hear everything you say,” Dyas said on Nov. 18 as council voted on project-related parking variances.

On Friday, the city stated, “While this initiative is moving forward, we are committed to doing so in a way that reflects community input and builds trust.”

That statement went on to say, “That means ensuring the site is designed and operated to the highest safety standards, incorporating Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles such as lighting, natural surveillance, clear sightlines, and controlled access.”

If all goes according to plan, the new facility will be up and running in 2027.