Tension between downtown businesses and people experiencing homelessness on Kelownasa国际传媒檚 Leon Avenue has reached a tipping point.

Businesses along the strip are fed up with the growing number of people camping on the street saying the encampment is affecting their ability to work, forcing them to consider relocating.

Earlier this week, Boydsa国际传媒檚 Tire and Auto Service and Eco-Clean, were the first two businsses to confirm they are moving locations due to the crime, violence, and uncleanliness in the area.

Boyds Tire and Auto Service has been at its Leon Avenue location for the past seven years. The shopsa国际传媒檚 owner, Chad Abougoush, said he is relocating his store due to a decrease in overall business over the past few years, which he attributes largely to the population of people living on Leon Avenue.

sa国际传媒淲e need to provide a nice, clean, safe environment for our customers and we no longer feel like thatsa国际传媒檚 available here,sa国际传媒� he said.

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Abougoush said the crime and amount of people experiencing homelessness in the area has grown exponentially year-after-year.

sa国际传媒�(This time last year) was nowhere near close to as bad as it is now,sa国际传媒� he said.

Abougoush said the city has failed to change its response as the encampment has grown.

sa国际传媒淭he citysa国际传媒檚 response has been the same response for the past three years,sa国际传媒� he said.

sa国际传媒淭hey have this mysterious plan that we never see any of it executed. Isa国际传媒檓 sick and tired of waiting.

sa国际传媒淲hen Isa国际传媒檓 trying to work and nothing is working, I usually change my approach. They need to change what theysa国际传媒檙e doing or do something to make it better sa国际传媒� Theysa国际传媒檙e band-aiding the problem. Theysa国际传媒檙e not solving it.sa国际传媒�

Despite his efforts to reach out to city officials to discuss the rampant crime in the area, Abougoush said nothing has come of those conversations.

He attributes Boydsa国际传媒檚 Tiresa国际传媒檚 longevity on Leon Avenue to the Downtown Kelowna Association, who he describes as his sa国际传媒渟uperheroes.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淭hey come in and deal with stuff that you wouldnsa国际传媒檛 dream of dealing with in your nightmares,sa国际传媒� he said.

sa国际传媒淭heysa国际传媒檝e really stepped up to the plate sa国际传媒� and for no benefit of their own. They go above and beyond the call of duty. They really take care of us down here.sa国际传媒�

RCMP have also been helpful in attempting to keep the sa国际传媒渃ontrolled chaossa国际传媒� on Leon Avenue, according to Abougoush.

In the spring, Boydsa国际传媒檚 Tire will be moving to a new location on Clement Avenue.

sa国际传媒淚ronically enough, itsa国际传媒檚 right beside the new police centre.sa国际传媒�

michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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