Shelter advocates say it should go in Westbank

Year-round shelter proposed for downtown West Kelowna because that’s where most of homeless people are

A permanent, year-round homeless shelter should be located in downtown Westbank, advocates for the city’s street population say.

Members of the West Kelowna Shelter Society, which now operates a winteronly overnight refuge inside Emmanuel Church, hope to find a new location for a permanent facility that’s open 24-7.

“We have looked at places farther out, but we do believe it should be in downtown Westbank because that’s obviously where most of our homeless people are,” Andy Hawkes, the society’s secretary, said Monday.

“The reality is there’s a lot of empty commercial buildings in Westbank that might be ideal for a shelter,” Hawkes said. “We would love to have a new shelter ready for this winter, and we’re definitely in search mode.

“Emmanuel is supportive of us being there again this year, but we’re really trying hard not to be there, to have our own building,” Hawkes said.

A count of West Kelowna’s homeless population was done in mid-July, but the results have not been released yet. The survey mirrors ones conducted earlier this year in Kelowna and Lake Country.

Seasonal operation of the 30-bed church-based shelter is supported by BC Housing, the government agency that would likely be involved in the leasing and outfitting of a building for a permanent shelter and daytime drop-in centre.

From November through March, about 25 people a night used the church-based shelter. This summer, as many as 100 people a day have been getting free meals or bag lunches offered by Westbank United Church.

For the coming season, the shelter society is hoping to attract new volunteers. Help is needed for tasks such as cooking, cleaning and serving. To offer your services, contact the West Kelowna Shelter Society through either its web page or Facebook page.