Rutland community members turned out in droves last Sunday to protest the McCurdy Road supportive housing project.

Chants of sa国际传媒渒eep Rutland safesa国际传媒� rang out from nearly 100 residents as cars drove by and honked in support.

Even passing police officers flicked on their patrol car sirens, tooted their horns and waved as they cruised by the fenced-off lot.

sa国际传媒淭he reason we are gathered here today is because we are against a facility that does not have rules around drug and alcohol consumption within the proximity of the schools,sa国际传媒� Chrissy Lwowski, a concerned resident at the protest.

This community member has this to say about the .

sa国际传媒� CaitlinClow (@caitleerach)

As cannabis retail stores need to be 150 metres away from elementary schools and 500 metres from high schools in Kelowna, opposed residents said those same rules should apply for wet houses that allow for consumption.

READ MORE: MLA urges a sa国际传媒榩ausesa国际传媒� to controversial Rutland supportive housing project

sa国际传媒淭his is not an appropriate site,sa国际传媒� Lwowski said. sa国际传媒淲e have not run out of land in Kelowna.

sa国际传媒淭he last we had all heard was this was a dry facility coming in, so wesa国际传媒檙e all pretty alarmed that it has come through the way that it has and wesa国际传媒檙e not OK with it.sa国际传媒�

The development was originally put forward by religious organization Freedomsa国际传媒檚 Door but failed to raise appropriate funding. The project was then passed on to BC Housing.

City council had approved the rezoning of the lot for the previously proposed project application, so could only vote on the form and character of BC Housingsa国际传媒檚 design before issuing, or denying, a development permit.

Coun. Charlie Hodge was the only councillor who put forth a protest vote against the project when the form and character of the development came before council on June 17. (See story A3)

sa国际传媒淭his project is not the project it was,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淪o, itsa国际传媒檚 a tough decision.sa国际传媒�

Christopher Bocskei, a coach, protest organizer, community volunteer and someone who has experienced homelessness, said he knows these facilities are necessary for addicts, vulnerable and at-risk individuals.

But he doesnsa国际传媒檛 want it to be this close to the kids.

READ MORE: Petition started in protest of Kelownasa国际传媒檚 McCurdy Road supportive housing

sa国际传媒淒rugs will go up, crime will go up, itsa国际传媒檚 a problem waiting to happen,sa国际传媒� Bocskei said.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e trying to save our kids here, wesa国际传媒檙e trying to save our community.sa国际传媒�

He suggested a better location for a facility this size and type would be more successful across the street from the RCMP detachment.

Bocskei said the 49-unit development offers 49 opportunities to have students exposed to, or perhaps even addicted to, substances.

sa国际传媒淚t is incumbent on the operator, BC Housing and the province to ensure this functions successfully,sa国际传媒� responded Coun. Brad Sieben.

A was started and shared online June 21 and since then more than 2,600 people have signed it.

Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick also called upon British Columbiasa国际传媒檚 Housing Minister Selina Robinson to sa国际传媒減ausesa国际传媒� the project until issues in Heath House and Hearthstone sa国际传媒� two other wet facilities sa国际传媒� are resolved.

sa国际传媒淭he people of Rutland are very generous and caring and have done more than their fair share when it comes to housing the hardest to house,sa国际传媒� Letnick said in his open letter.

A public information meeting will be held on June 26 at Rutland Centennial Hall, 5:30 p.m.

Caitlin.clow@kelownacapnews.com
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