The opposition of the supportive housing project slated for McCurdy Road is well on their way to reaching their target of 13,000 signatures representing 10 per cent of 琉璃神社, due in large part to a drive-thru petition signing event run over the past few days.

On Monday, hundreds of cars pulled into Rutland Secondary School to sign their name on the dotted line to say Rutland is not the place for a BC Housing supportive project that allows drugs and alcohol on site.

Audra Boudreau, the woman behind the petition, said she won鈥檛 know the exact total of signees until Thursday, but she is sure they have collected more than enough to at least be acknowledged by city officials.

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鈥淚f there are 13,000 voters that are standing up, it鈥檚 saying a lot if they (City of 琉璃神社 councillors) refuse to acknowledge, or if they refuse to change anything, about how much they value us, our children, our seniors, our family and our community,鈥� she said.

The Rutland community has rallied in protest against the 49-unit, five-storey development that was approved by council on June 17, with Coun. Charlie Hodge voting in protest of the application. Councillors could only vote on the form and character of the building as the land had been rezoned for a similar project in 2017.

鈥�(Coun.) Charlie Hodge is the one that showed the most character, in my opinion, on that vote,鈥� Boudreau said. 鈥淭his all exists because of (city council鈥檚) complete error two years ago when they rezoned a property for an organization to run a facility without them having the money to actually build that facility.鈥�

鈥淭he blame for this is squarely on their shoulders and I think they鈥檙e trying to save themselves because they鈥檙e certainly not trying to save our kids or our seniors.鈥�

Boudreau said she would be in favour of a low-income family housing, or a seniors housing moving into the area, however, she says increased crime, public intoxication and drug use are inevitable with any facility that allows consumption on site.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be an absolute disaster,鈥� she said.

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Boudreau said she doesn鈥檛 feel the 琉璃神社 branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) has the right tools to manage this facility. She said Heath House鈥攁nother nearby project run by CMHA鈥攊s evidence of that.

CMHA communications manager Jessica Samuels said it is working to eradicate the issues surrounding Heath House.

A CMHA clean-up crew is working to rid the streets around the supportive housing project on Highway 97 and surrounding neighbourhood streets of litter and needles. She said nighttime security has been increased on the property and soon extra security 鈥渂oots on the ground鈥� will be patrolling the surrounding neighbourhood overnight.

鈥� CaitlinClow (@caitleerach)

With CMHA鈥檚 more than 20 years of service in the community and 200 housing projects in the area, Samuels said CMHA 鈥渨ant(s) to be good neighbours.鈥�

鈥淲e understand that people are worried, we understand that people want to feel safe,鈥� she said.

CMHA also said its recent amendments to its tenancy agreement with Heath House residents is another way they鈥檙e working to create a safer environment. Residents of CMHA-operated housing is made to sign an agreement that outlines expected behaviour. If these guidelines are failed to be met, residents are relocated to a different supportive housing unit that may be more suitable for their individual needs, or they are connected with a different community partner.

CMHA鈥檚 director of service delivery and program innovation Mike Gawliuk said many of these residents utilizing supportive housing haven鈥檛 had a roof over their head in a while.

鈥淲e have seen individuals who have been in one setting and have created some challenges in one setting and we move them to other settings,鈥� he said. 鈥淥nce they stabilize and get their feet under them, there is huge improvement.鈥�

Tuesday is the last day to sign the petition in Rutland.

Caitlin.clow@kelownacapnews.com
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