Relocating the Gospel Mission

[John Zeger]

City council decided several months ago that the Gospel Mission would be moved from Leon Avenue to some undetermined area in order to provide relief to downtown merchants from much of the crime and vagrancy that it generated. Mayor Walter Gray said on CHBC television on June 23 that it will take another six months before a final decision on a new location is made and two years before the move is finalized. Boy, that's real action for you by a city council that obviously thinks that there's no urgency here. Or as John Harding put it in this morning's Daily Courier editorial, "Downtown deteriorates while city fiddles." I have said on at least one occasion that Kelowna city council is not pro-active but rather reactive. That may be giving them even more credit than they deserve. It seems to me that they are fast asleep as most of them are too busy tending to their day jobs than to the affairs of the city. Bring on the civic election and lets replace them with some dedicated people with vision, determination, and the ability to act quickly and decisively.

[prodevlp]

"dedicated people with vision, determination, and the ability to act quickly and decisively."

Seems to me that is what we have now. Although they seem to be stalling a bit.

[Rick Shea]

John Harding and others evidently don't agree with you.

[John Zeger]

It was reported by the Daily Courier on July 26, 2005 that it could take up to five years to relocate the Gospel Mission outside the downtown. www.kelownadailycourier.ca/archive/2005/07/26/stories/8275_full.php4?latest_date=2005/07/26
That's way too long! Even DKA president Clint McKenzie was unhappy saying "We would have preferred a year off at the outside. ... There will be a lot of frustrated businesses in the area." John Harding was correct in this editorial of July 27 "Mayor and council have let Kelowna down." The blame for this lies clearly at the feet of our mayor and council. They were not pro-active at all in dealing with this problem and now even their reaction time is painfully slow. Harding writes "The problems of downtown were obvious many years ago. .. So, had the mayor and council got on this isssue years ago, it's possible the Kelowna Gospel Mission could already be in a new location. Yes, hindsight is 20-20, but we should expect, no, demand more foresight from our elected representatives. They let us down."

[tilma]

To a degree it can work in favour of those who are increasing pressure on mayor and council to do something about the homeless and drug abusers downtown. It forces council to deal with arising issues. Obviously they will not be able much longer to sweep them under the rug. The more people speak out about the problem the more likely it will be that there will be an allocation of funds to bring about some change!