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 Kelowna, 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乌鸦传媒檛 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.

READ MORE: McCurdy project in Rutland gets go-ahead from Kelowna councillors

READ MORE: Rutland community rallies against McCurdy house

乌鸦传媒淚f there are 13,000 voters that are standing up, it乌鸦传媒檚 saying a lot if they (City of Kelowna 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,乌鸦传媒� 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.

乌鸦传媒�(Coun.) Charlie Hodge is the one that showed the most character, in my opinion, on that vote,乌鸦传媒� Boudreau said. 乌鸦传媒淭his all exists because of (city council乌鸦传媒檚) 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.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淭he blame for this is squarely on their shoulders and I think they乌鸦传媒檙e trying to save themselves because they乌鸦传媒檙e certainly not trying to save our kids or our seniors.乌鸦传媒�

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.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 going to be an absolute disaster,乌鸦传媒� she said.

READ MORE: Ex-homeless Rutland man says supportive housing too close to schools

READ MORE: Public forum fails to ease Rutland residents乌鸦传媒� frustration over McCurdy house

Boudreau said she doesn乌鸦传媒檛 feel the Kelowna branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) has the right tools to manage this facility. She said Heath House乌鸦传媒攁nother nearby project run by CMHA乌鸦传媒攊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 乌鸦传媒渂oots on the ground乌鸦传媒� will be patrolling the surrounding neighbourhood overnight.

乌鸦传媒� CaitlinClow (@caitleerach)

With CMHA乌鸦传媒檚 more than 20 years of service in the community and 200 housing projects in the area, Samuels said CMHA 乌鸦传媒渨ant(s) to be good neighbours.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淲e understand that people are worried, we understand that people want to feel safe,乌鸦传媒� she said.

CMHA also said its recent amendments to its tenancy agreement with Heath House residents is another way they乌鸦传媒檙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乌鸦传媒檚 director of service delivery and program innovation Mike Gawliuk said many of these residents utilizing supportive housing haven乌鸦传媒檛 had a roof over their head in a while.

乌鸦传媒淲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,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淥nce they stabilize and get their feet under them, there is huge improvement.乌鸦传媒�

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

Caitlin.clow@kelownacapnews.com
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