Account Login/Registration

Access KelownaNow using your Facebook account, or by entering your information below.


Facebook


OR


Register

Privacy Policy

Mayor cancels walking tour in Rutland after it 'morphs into something larger' due to McCurdy Road protests

Mayor Colin Basran has cancelled a planned visit to Rutland this afternoon because it has “morphed into something larger” in relation to the nearby McCurdy Road supportive housing development.

The Mayor agreed with a resident of the area in early June to go on a walking tour around a different supportive facility, Heath House, a spokeswoman for the City said.

But what was “supposed to be” a small gathering with “a few” concerned residents has grown into something far larger, she added.

Hundreds of residents came out on Sunday to protest the new 49-unit development at 130 McCurdy Road – predicted to be completed by 2021 – because they do not want a wet facility (where residents can take drugs) to be close to schools.

<who> Photo credit: NowMedia </who> Protesters gathering outside the development on Sunday.

Some of the protesters were planning to demonstrate when Mayor Basran was on his walking tour today.

Christopher Bocskei, who organized Sunday's demonstration, did not arrange Tuesday's protest.

“[Cancelling the walk] had nothing to do with safety,” the City spokeswoman explained in response to speculation on social media about the Mayor's motivations.

The meeting with the resident who originally raised concerns about Heath House, meanwhile, has been rearranged.

<who> Photo credit: City of Kelowna </who> What the development is expected to look like when completed.

It will be held at City Hall soon, the spokeswoman said. She added that the two issues – Heath House and McCurdy Road – are separate.

She also directed concerned residents to the Neighbourhood Information Session about the McCurdy Road development being held by BC Housing tomorrow evening.

Representatives from BC Housing, Interior Health, Journey Home Society and CMHA Kelowna will be at the Rutland Centennial Hall from 5.30 p.m. to 7 p.m. to provide more information about the project.



If you get value from KelownaNow and believe local independent media is important to our community we ask that you please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter.

If you appreciate what we do, we ask that you consider supporting our local independent news platform.


Send your comments, news tips, typos, letter to the editor, photos and videos to news@kelownanow.com.



Weather
webcam icon

weather-icon
Fri
12℃

weather-icon
Sat
12℃

weather-icon
Sun
15℃

weather-icon
Mon
17℃

weather-icon
Tue
16℃

weather-icon
Wed
12℃

current feed webcam icon

Recent Livestream




Top Stories

Follow Us

Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Linkedin Follow us on Youtube Listen on Soundcloud Follow Our TikTok Feed Follow Our RSS Follow Our pinterest Feed
Follow Our Newsletter
Privacy Policy