Drug use, theft, squatting and confrontations with staff are on the rise at the Nelson and District Community Complex.

Staff suspended 10 patrons during a two-week period in January, according to Joe Chirico, general manager of community services for the Regional District of Central Kootenay.

His report to the recreation commission on Jan. 28 cited several instances of patrons locking themselves in showers or change rooms, drug paraphernalia found in washrooms, people setting up sleeping bags in the washrooms, money and washroom products being stolen, users not paying to access the facilities, and verbal abuse of staff.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e had patrons say to us theysa国际传媒檙e not feeling as safe as they used to be,sa国际传媒� Chirico said. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 definitely increased staff stress. Oftentimes, if you confront people yousa国际传媒檝e suspended from the community, theysa国际传媒檙e belligerent, they can be abusive sa国际传媒� not necessarily physically but verbally, and that takes its toll.

sa国际传媒淸It] just doesnsa国际传媒檛 make the facility a family-positive, public place to come to.sa国际传媒�

Staff have installed used-needle containers throughout the complex, locked several doors that used to remain open throughout the day, and are trying to funnel all visitors past the front desk, he said. Theysa国际传媒檙e also considering hiring security.

The challenge, Chirico said, is that people have a right to be in a public place even if they havensa国际传媒檛 paid to get in sa国际传媒� especially when it is cold outside sa国际传媒� and the centre suffers from not having a larger entrance for the public to relax in.

sa国际传媒淲e know we need to be somehow a part of the positive solution for the community, but wesa国际传媒檙e still trying to figure out how we fit into that,sa国际传媒� he said.

sa国际传媒淲e want to be empathetic, but we also want to make sure the facility is safe for patrons and staff.sa国际传媒�

In 2018, a homeless count recorded 101 people living in Nelson without safe, permanent housing sa国际传媒� more than a third of whom had been without it for more than six months.

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tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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