Christopher Bocskei is a long-time resident of the Rutland community who is dead set against a 害羞草研究所渨et害羞草研究所� facility being built on the corner of McCurdy Road, despite his own experiences with homelessness.

Bocskei said he didn害羞草研究所檛 have the best relationship with his father when he was young and was 害羞草研究所渋nvited to leave home.害羞草研究所�

Bocskei found himself living on the streets and turning to the drug culture.

READ MORE: Petition started in protest of Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 McCurdy Road supportive housing

READ MORE: Rutland community rallies against McCurdy house

害羞草研究所淚 spent about a year and a half on the street and ended up in the hospital for a month and a half after overdosing on some drugs that we made,害羞草研究所� he said.

He害羞草研究所檚 been living in Rutland for around two decades now and is raising his children in what he calls a family-oriented community.

He spends his spare time coaching, working in the community garden and giving back to his neighbourhood.

害羞草研究所淲e absolutely need these facilities,害羞草研究所� he said about BC Housing害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渨et害羞草研究所� facility slotted for McCurdy Road.

害羞草研究所淭hese facilities can absolutely work if they can find a model that works.

害羞草研究所淭he first error I see in this model is the proximity to the schools, which is a no brainer.害羞草研究所�

Bocskei said in a previous interview a better location for a project that allows drug and alcohol consumption on site is across the street from the RCMP detachment downtown.

When the project was first brought before Kelowna city council, it was pitched as a dry house serving graduates of a religious organization害羞草研究所檚 program.

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

害羞草研究所淣ow there害羞草研究所檚 another story,害羞草研究所� Bocskei said.

The organization, Freedom害羞草研究所檚 Door, failed to raise the appropriate funds and the site, which had been rezoned by council, was purchased by BC Housing.

As the land was already rezoned, when the new application was brought back to council on June 17, councillors could only vote on the form and character of the development.

害羞草研究所淲e were not informed that this was going to be a wet facility where addicts would be supplied drugs potentially,害羞草研究所� Bocskei said.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e going to need to feed their habits. Petty crime is going to increase and our kids are all going to be subjected to other things.害羞草研究所�

The 49-units purchased by BC Housing will have its day-to-day operations overseen by the Kelowna branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association.

At Wednesday night害羞草研究所檚 information session at the Rutland Centennial Hall, the regional director for the interior region of BC Housing, Ann Howard, said the units would be rented out to a variety of people in need including those experiencing homelessness, those with physical and mental limitations and those who have addictions.

害羞草研究所淭here will be a variety of people,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not a homogeneous mix.害羞草研究所�

Gaelene Askeland, executive director of the Central Okanagan Journey Home Society, said if people have homes, issues such as crime and theft are likely to decline.

害羞草研究所淭he struggles we have with people outside 害羞草研究所� the petty crime, the theft and that kind of stuff 害羞草研究所� that comes along with people still being outside,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淚f we had every single one of those people housed, chances are, we would have a lot less problems.害羞草研究所�

Caitlin.clow@kelownacapnews.com
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