A conservative and rough estimate from the city’s bylaws department says there are about 120 people sleeping rough, up from an estimated 40 at the same time a year ago. “It’s obvious to everyone that needs are outstripping resources and that’s having an impact on local government, on our citizens and our communities and our businesses. And we absolutely feel that. We hear that and share the frustration,” said Darren Caul, director of community City of Kelowna Security. Residents have noticed an increase in the number of homeless people downtown, with some second-guessing whether or not Kelowna is a safe place. “This friend of mine, she’s always wondering who might come after her and all that… it’s almost like an epidemic of homeless people with mental illness… it’s a tough call, it’s happening everywhere,” said a bystander in City Park on Thursday. Caul says the city is doing everything it can to give homeless people the help and guidance they need. “It’s often the case that statutory services are able to connect people with these social and health supports, which can make a difference for that person in terms of where they are,” she said. “From an enforcement perspective, we’re constantly preventing people from sheltering where they shouldn’t be sheltering. Instead, we’re encouraging and enabling people to shelter at the designated location on the rail route in Richter,” he added. Caul says he hopes the situation will improve when a 60-bed shelter opens at the old BC Tree Fruits site. The loss of a 60-bed shelter at 550 Doyle Avenue in late June, which was closed to make way for UBCO’s new tower, had an immediate effect on the number of rough sleepers in Kelowna. In May, the city estimated that about 90 people were sleeping rough. “Very excited and optimistic about the impact this will have not only for the underserved people in our community, but for our communities that may feel the impact of tripling that number,” Caul said.
