Tension between downtown businesses and people experiencing homelessness on Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淲e need to provide a nice, clean, safe environment for our customers and we no longer feel like that害羞草研究所檚 available here,害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所�(This time last year) was nowhere near close to as bad as it is now,害羞草研究所� he said.

Abougoush said the city has failed to change its response as the encampment has grown.

害羞草研究所淭he city害羞草研究所檚 response has been the same response for the past three years,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淭hey have this mysterious plan that we never see any of it executed. I害羞草研究所檓 sick and tired of waiting.

害羞草研究所淲hen I害羞草研究所檓 trying to work and nothing is working, I usually change my approach. They need to change what they害羞草研究所檙e doing or do something to make it better 害羞草研究所� They害羞草研究所檙e band-aiding the problem. They害羞草研究所檙e not solving it.害羞草研究所�

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害羞草研究所檚 Tire害羞草研究所檚 longevity on Leon Avenue to the Downtown Kelowna Association, who he describes as his 害羞草研究所渟uperheroes.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭hey come in and deal with stuff that you wouldn害羞草研究所檛 dream of dealing with in your nightmares,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檝e really stepped up to the plate 害羞草研究所� and for no benefit of their own. They go above and beyond the call of duty. They really take care of us down here.害羞草研究所�

RCMP have also been helpful in attempting to keep the 害羞草研究所渃ontrolled chaos害羞草研究所� on Leon Avenue, according to Abougoush.

In the spring, Boyd害羞草研究所檚 Tire will be moving to a new location on Clement Avenue.

害羞草研究所淚ronically enough, it害羞草研究所檚 right beside the new police centre.害羞草研究所�

michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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