A group of Penticton residents have planned a protest to voice their concerns over city councilsa国际传媒檚 refusal to allow a temporary winter shelter to stay open.
The Victory Church winter shelter at 352 Winnipeg Street in downtown Penticton was originally approved by council to continue its operations on an emergency basis until April 1, 2021.
Due to a lack of alternative housing options for the 42 residents the shelter currently houses, BC Housing asked the city to keep the shelter open for an additional year until March 31, 2022.
Council quickly and unanimously shot down the request on March 2. Councillors and the mayor cited safety and security concerns and a lack of transparency from BC Housing as the main reasons for their decision.
Now, a group of concerned residents is organizing a protest in opposition to councilsa国际传媒檚 decision.
The protest, advertised in a Facebook group called Penticton Overdose Prevention, will take place Friday, March 5 at 2 p.m. across from city hall at Gyro Park.
sa国际传媒淧lease join us in taking a stand against the decision city council has made to not extend this vital service in our community,sa国际传媒� reads a post in the group.
Organizers, led by local harm reduction advocate Desiree Franz, encourage protesters to bring tents and set them up in Gyro Park to sa国际传媒渟how city council what the result of their decision will look like come April 1.sa国际传媒�
If the shelter is forced to cease operations on April 1, all 42 residents will be displaced.
B.C. Housing Minister David Eby was outspoken against councilsa国际传媒檚 decision, stating he believes the city has put itself at risk of creating a tent city. BC Housing is currently trying to find homes for people living in tent cities in Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo.
Eby said he fears Penticton is flirting with a similar situation.
sa国际传媒淲e simply cansa国际传媒檛 have a situation of another encampment in the province thatsa国际传媒檚 deliberately created,sa国际传媒� Eby said. sa国际传媒淲e cansa国际传媒檛 afford to go backwards in Penticton.sa国际传媒�
Penticton mayor John Vassilaki took issue with Ebysa国际传媒檚 comments, saying he does not believe a homeless encampment will establish as one never has in past years when winter shelters close. Vassilaki said Ebysa国际传媒檚 comments were sa国际传媒渋rresponsiblesa国际传媒� and that Eby was sa国际传媒渦sing fear-mongering in order to get his way.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淚 will not be intimidated by him or anyone else when it comes to the safety and the welfare of the City of Penticton,sa国际传媒� Vassilaki said.
| The poster posted in the Facebook group 'Penticton Overdose Prevention' calls for residents to set up tents in Gyro Park in protest of council's decision to close a winter shelter Apri1 1, 2021. (Penticton Overdose in Penticton's Gyro Park Prevention / Facebook) |
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jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com
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