Several residents took to Kelowna City Hall to demostrate, once again.

This time, locals gathered to support those who are currently experiencing homelessness.

Local broadcaster Lisa Redl spoke at the rally.

乌鸦传媒淲e have to find a solution right now,乌鸦传媒� Redl said. 乌鸦传媒淩egardless of what the city is doing, we have to figure out how to get these people warm right now.乌鸦传媒�

Last week the City of Kelowna relocated those camping on Leon Avenue to two parks at the north-end of downtown.

According to new rules set out by the city, those camped in the new locations are not allowed to stay the entire day and can only stay at the two sites between 7 p.m. and 9 a.m.

Several people who stayed at the new camp set up by the Kelowna Curling Club, said they now have no where to go during the day to keep warm, which is worse than staying on Leon Avenue where they could stay warm in their tents.

Redl stated that those camped at Recreation Avenue are demanding additional warming tents be brought to the area to give them a warm place to sleep.

乌鸦传媒淚 get that there are regulations, but these are human beings too. These are somebody乌鸦传媒檚 son, somebody乌鸦传媒檚 daughter,乌鸦传媒� she said.

READ MORE: Kelowna homelessness count shows more people without shelter

READ MORE: Province plans to open shelter for West Kelowna homeless in 2020

Others attending the rally have experienced homelessness in the past and came to show their support.

乌鸦传媒淲e were also homeless乌鸦传媒� and this is just inhumane. I was at the camp this morning handing out breakfast. Sometimes, it乌鸦传媒檚 as easy as that,乌鸦传媒� one said.

Another mentioned how easily people can fall through the cracks and end up on the streets.

乌鸦传媒淵ou don乌鸦传媒檛 pay your rent once and you get evicted quickly, and that乌鸦传媒檚 what we乌鸦传媒檙e seeing here. We乌鸦传媒檝e elected a mayor who ran on a pro-helping the homeless on a Journey Home strategy against someone who had a tough love approach. He won basically on that and we乌鸦传媒檙e just not seeing action,乌鸦传媒� another resident said.

Resident Gail Hodgson said, the city should consider the issue as an emergency.

乌鸦传媒淭he city has procedures for emergencies like when there乌鸦传媒檚 forest fires - they open up buildings with cots, water, supplies. This is an emergency too,乌鸦传媒� Hodgson said.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檇 like to see a building opened up to these people. They乌鸦传媒檙e suffering already and I乌鸦传媒檝e had enough.乌鸦传媒�

She said she also understood how Knox Mountain neighbourhood residents would be unhappy with having those experiencing homelessness sheltering in a popular park.

乌鸦传媒淚 feel sorry for them as well. If I lived there and that happened near me and I had kids, and what with some of the homeless folk having addiction and the potential dangers, I feel sorry for them too. It乌鸦传媒檚 a terrible situation for everybody.乌鸦传媒�

But, she pointed out that if the city could put security measures for an outdoor camp, they can do that in an indoor setting too.

乌鸦传媒淲hat the city has done is put up that camp at Recreation (Avenue) and they乌鸦传媒檙e manning it with security. Well, can they do that in a building?乌鸦传媒�

In all, Redl said the gathering at city hall wasn乌鸦传媒檛 meant to be a protest, but a call out and a challenge for the city to act soon before weather conditions get worse.

READ MORE: Knox Mountain, north end Kelowna residents gather to petition city over homeless camp relocation

READ MORE: Knox Mountain residents hold protest over homeless camp move

twila.amato@blackpress.ca
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