Despite the setback from some local businesses, The Cornerstone homeless shelter in downtown Kelowna will remain open for another year.
Cornerstone is a cold weather shelter at 425 Leon Avenue that opened Nov. 30 and currently provides 80 mats for the homeless.
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Some neighboring companies want Kelowna’s largest temporary homeless shelter to move
While it was being used as “temporary” winter shelter for the first time, a statement issued by the The Ministry of Local Affairs and Housing said the facility would remain open for an additional year.
CLOCK DOWN: The controversial Kelowna homeless shelter could stay open for another year
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The controversial Kelowna homeless shelter could stay open for another year
The controversial Kelowna homeless shelter could remain open for another year – March 14, 2018
The John Howard Society will continue to oversee the operation of the shelter.
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A homeless shelter opens in downtown Kelowna this winter
Some neighboring companies have raised concerns about the escalation of crime, drug use and vandalism. Some business owners say customers are scared to visit their stores and would prefer the shelter to be relocated.
It has resulted in a series of community meetings between local businesses, RCMP, BC Housing, the City of Kelowna, the John Howard Society and the Chamber of Commerce.
Late on Thursday afternoon, the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Kelowna Association jointly released a press release expressing concerns about the durability of the site.
“Our members fully understand that the city and BC Housing must provide emergency shelter while other more suitable housing is in the works,” said Dan Allen, president of Downtown Kelowna.
“We support these efforts and the work of the service providers, but we continue to believe that Cornerstone’s current location should not be viewed as a long-term solution.”
The corporate groups say they will continue to encourage the city and BC Housing to increase security and expand regular cleanups while “aggressively looking at other locations”.
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The cold weather protection dilemma leads to a community meeting in Kelowna
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“By keeping Cornerstone shelter open for next year, BC Housing will ensure the homeless in the community have a place to stay,” the province said.
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