More than 30 people spoke their piece at the West Kelowna town hall meeting Thursday night.
The meeting drew almost 300 people and was organized by the City of West Kelowna to give residents a chance to voice concerns and suggest possible solutions on the growing conflicts in downtown that have been caused by homeless people.
West Kelowna residents have started voicing their concerns at the Town Hall meeting. Concerns on the impact of homeless is the biggest topic being discussed. Drug use and enabling biggest reported problem in downtown core.
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Speakerssa国际传媒� solutions ranged from more affordable housing, shipping homeless off to a segregated area, less shelters, tough love, better mental health aid, compassion and increased law enforcement.
One of the largest concerns was the location of the West Kelowna Shelter Society that is now housed at the Westbank United Church on Brown Road in downtown.
Speakers argued that drug-use facilities only bring more homeless people and enables drug users.
sa国际传媒淚f there is real interest in harm reduction, the people (council) should be concentrating on us, the taxpayers and business people,sa国际传媒� one speaker said.
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More sympathetic ideas were also voiced to council.
Rev. Hogman from the Westbank United Church spoke to remind people to be committed to everyone in the West Kelowna community and that the city is sa国际传媒渋n it together.sa国际传媒�
Other voices reached out in support of the positive initiatives to help the homeless.
sa国际传媒淚t takes a whole village to raise a child,sa国际传媒� speaker Doug Brown said.
sa国际传媒淭hey are in great need. (We) need to play a part in helping.sa国际传媒�
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West Kelowna council was joined at the meeting by representatives of city partners: Westbank First Nations, BC Housing, RCMP, Interior Health and the West Kelowna Shelter Society.
Council said they were going to listen and interpret all the put-forth concerns and adapt new solutions and city plans with their partners to improve the conditions with homeless people in downtown.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 really proud of our community for the many people that came here tonight,sa国际传媒� Mayor Gord Milsom said.
sa国际传媒淓motions ranged from deep compassion to fear, itsa国际传媒檚 an emotional topic and I found it emotional. But thatsa国际传媒檚 what we wanted to do, we wanted to listen and now wesa国际传媒檙e going to think about what was said.sa国际传媒�
West Kelowna council and WFNsa国际传媒檚 Town Hall for residents concludes. Over 20 speakers came forward to discuss downtown issues which focused on homeless and drug use in the city.
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No date has been set for when council plans to present the reactive action plan.
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