Tension between downtown businesses and people experiencing homelessness on Kelowna乌鸦传媒檚 Leon Avenue has reached a tipping point.
Businesses along the strip are fed up with the growing number of people camping on the street saying the encampment is affecting their ability to work, forcing them to consider relocating.
Earlier this week, Boyd乌鸦传媒檚 Tire and Auto Service and Eco-Clean, were the first two businsses to confirm they are moving locations due to the crime, violence, and uncleanliness in the area.
Boyds Tire and Auto Service has been at its Leon Avenue location for the past seven years. The shop乌鸦传媒檚 owner, Chad Abougoush, said he is relocating his store due to a decrease in overall business over the past few years, which he attributes largely to the population of people living on Leon Avenue.
乌鸦传媒淲e need to provide a nice, clean, safe environment for our customers and we no longer feel like that乌鸦传媒檚 available here,乌鸦传媒� he said.
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Abougoush said the crime and amount of people experiencing homelessness in the area has grown exponentially year-after-year.
乌鸦传媒�(This time last year) was nowhere near close to as bad as it is now,乌鸦传媒� he said.
Abougoush said the city has failed to change its response as the encampment has grown.
乌鸦传媒淭he city乌鸦传媒檚 response has been the same response for the past three years,乌鸦传媒� he said.
乌鸦传媒淭hey have this mysterious plan that we never see any of it executed. I乌鸦传媒檓 sick and tired of waiting.
乌鸦传媒淲hen I乌鸦传媒檓 trying to work and nothing is working, I usually change my approach. They need to change what they乌鸦传媒檙e doing or do something to make it better 乌鸦传媒� They乌鸦传媒檙e band-aiding the problem. They乌鸦传媒檙e not solving it.乌鸦传媒�
Despite his efforts to reach out to city officials to discuss the rampant crime in the area, Abougoush said nothing has come of those conversations.
He attributes Boyd乌鸦传媒檚 Tire乌鸦传媒檚 longevity on Leon Avenue to the Downtown Kelowna Association, who he describes as his 乌鸦传媒渟uperheroes.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淭hey come in and deal with stuff that you wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 dream of dealing with in your nightmares,乌鸦传媒� he said.
乌鸦传媒淭hey乌鸦传媒檝e really stepped up to the plate 乌鸦传媒� and for no benefit of their own. They go above and beyond the call of duty. They really take care of us down here.乌鸦传媒�
RCMP have also been helpful in attempting to keep the 乌鸦传媒渃ontrolled chaos乌鸦传媒� on Leon Avenue, according to Abougoush.
In the spring, Boyd乌鸦传媒檚 Tire will be moving to a new location on Clement Avenue.
乌鸦传媒淚ronically enough, it乌鸦传媒檚 right beside the new police centre.乌鸦传媒�
michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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