Suzie Green was out and about in Penticton on Tuesday afternoon (April 6) when she noticed unusual behavior: a man was walking towards the Compass House shelter with a large white bucket that appeared to contain feces.
“I just watched him pick up the bucket and actively spread what I thought was bark mulch, but I walked towards it when he left and it was a noticeable dog [expletive]”Said the Summerland photographer.
The droppings were scattered around the front of the shelter, where people usually sit, and throughout the driveway, according to Green.
When she confronted the man about his actions, Green said he replied that he did it because he was “only fed up with the homeless”.
Green contacted the statutory services about the incident but was informed that it would be a police matter. The RCMP has since been informed of the incident.
Compass House operator Tony Laing confirmed he had contact with the neighboring business owner who is accused of throwing the poop.
“A local business owner was watched by an employee throwing a bucket of ‘poop’ on our property. We have a video of the person walking to and from the property with their bucket, but not the actual dumping. We discuss with the individual and their headquarters to find a solution, ”said Laing.
“The rhetoric about homelessness in our city has evolved from public discourse to completely unacceptable actions. We have personally reached out to all of our neighbors to help mitigate the effects of the homeless in our neighborhood, ”Laing said.
Green noted that retaliation could solve the problem by making public washrooms more accessible to people with homelessness.
“There needs to be a bit more open bathroom availability in the community for the homeless population, otherwise what should they do?” She said.
“I know it’s frustrating, but there needs to be more services available.”
Laing agrees. He said there is a need for adequate washrooms for those unable to use the shelters.
“The homeless population in Penticton is larger than the current 74-bed shelters that are full every night,” he said.
“But the residents of the shelter are not the ones who commit crimes at night as they are inside at 11pm every night,” he added.
READ MORE: The Penticton Council has supportive housing construction concerns with the BC Secretary of Housing
READ MORE: Man speaks out against conditions in homeless shelters in Penticton
jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com
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Housing and homelessness
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