Significant growth at Kelowna, B.C. homeless camp raises concerns – Okanagan

Every morning, bylaw officers and RCMP do a sweep of the outdoor sheltering site in Kelowna, B.C. — efforts the city hopes prevent it from becoming an entrenched camp.

“The concept of entrenchment and prolonged encampment over time….that’s where health ,safety and security becomes a real concern,” said Kevin Mead, bylaw services manager with the City of Kelowna.

The daily routine includes the enforcement officers asking those residing in the homeless camp to dismantle their tents by 9 a.m. and collect all their belongings.

It’s a routine that doesn’t sit well with camp residents.

“There’s really no point to it, ” said tent dweller Dave Patenaude. “They see it as like a safety issue or people hoarding stuff. But if you’re homeless, you don’t have anything so you’re just hoarding whatever so you can just feel like a person who has belongings and stuff like that.”

But Mead said that is the only way to keep the site from becoming a permanent tent city, which in other communities has brought about all kinds of problems.

“Some of them (problems) are really unpleasant and put our vulnerable population more at risk than it needs to be,” Mead said.

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The sheltering site, which is located along the Okanagan Rail Trail near the corner of Richter Street and Weddell Place, has grown dramatically in recent months-more than doubling in size.

It now houses well over 100 people nightly.

“The number has grown significantly, particularly this year,” Mead said.

The camp has exploded in part due to the closure of the Doyle Avenue shelter back in June.

Carmen Rempel, executive officer of the Gospel Mission, said there is some relief on the way for the people sleeping outside.

Rempel confirmed to Global News that after opening delays, the new Bay Avenue Shelter is starting to take people in based on referrals.

She added, however, that at this point it can only house up to 30 people due to staffing shortages, which means the shelter will only be operating at half capacity.

Patenaude hoping to be among those who can get into the new shelter before it gets even colder.

“We want to get into the shelter if we can,” Patenaude said.

But even once the shelter open at full capacity, there will still be dozens sleeping outside as the demand for shelter spaces outpaces the supply.

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