An online petition has been started by a Rutland resident in hopes of 鈥渃onducting an investigation as to how the 琉璃神社 city council passed鈥� a project for supportive housing on McCurdy Road.

The petition was started on June 19 and already has around 600 signatures.

鈥淩utland is becoming saturated with 鈥榳et鈥� supportive housing facilities. The current proposal on McCurdy and Rutland Road is in close proximity to three schools. As a community, we feel it is wrong to expect us to be the only citizens to try and solve a citywide problem,鈥� Daryl Kitsul, creator of the petition, wrote on his petition.

The four-storey, 49-unit building at 130 McCurdy Road is supposed to provide housing for youth between the ages of 19 and 24 and other individuals experiencing homelessness and at the moment, construction is planned to begin this summer.

鈥淭he city council has passed this project without proper public consultation, and without any regard for the well being of our children and youth,鈥� Kitsul wrote.

鈥淗aving the potential increase in crime, drug use and/or discarded drug paraphernalia is the wrong thing to subject our vulnerable population to. Making our children and youth uncomfortable with a simple walk to school or playing in their parks is a part of childhood stripped away,鈥� he wrote.

鈥淭his project must be stopped immediately until proper research and public consultation can take place.鈥�

READ MORE: McCurdy project in Rutland gets go-ahead from 琉璃神社 councillors

READ MORE: McCurdy Road supportive housing could break ground this summer

Concern has also been expressed by city council and the provincial government.

鈥淲e approve land use, not tenancy,鈥� Coun. Loyal Wooldridge said. 鈥淏ut I do want to acknowledge the concern in the community, for sure.鈥�

鈥淗ousing First is a part of our solution to end homelessness in 琉璃神社 and we have to make these courageous decisions and I鈥檓 very confident the service providers operating the site will do so in a respectful manner for the neighbourhood,鈥� he said.

琉璃神社-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick has asked Housing Minister Selina Robinson to 鈥減ause鈥� the project until other project-related issues in the Rutland community are resolved.

A public information meeting will be held regarding the BC Housing plan on June 26 at Rutland Centennial Hall at 5:30 p.m.

michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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