Christopher Bocskei is a long-time resident of the Rutland community who is dead set against a 91裸聊视频渨et91裸聊视频� facility being built on the corner of McCurdy Road, despite his own experiences with homelessness.

Bocskei said he didn91裸聊视频檛 have the best relationship with his father when he was young and was 91裸聊视频渋nvited to leave home.91裸聊视频�

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

READ MORE: Petition started in protest of Kelowna91裸聊视频檚 McCurdy Road supportive housing

READ MORE: Rutland community rallies against McCurdy house

91裸聊视频淚 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,91裸聊视频� he said.

He91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淲e absolutely need these facilities,91裸聊视频� he said about BC Housing91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频渨et91裸聊视频� facility slotted for McCurdy Road.

91裸聊视频淭hese facilities can absolutely work if they can find a model that works.

91裸聊视频淭he first error I see in this model is the proximity to the schools, which is a no brainer.91裸聊视频�

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 organization91裸聊视频檚 program.

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

91裸聊视频淣ow there91裸聊视频檚 another story,91裸聊视频� Bocskei said.

The organization, Freedom91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淲e were not informed that this was going to be a wet facility where addicts would be supplied drugs potentially,91裸聊视频� Bocskei said.

91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙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.91裸聊视频�

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 night91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淭here will be a variety of people,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not a homogeneous mix.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淭he struggles we have with people outside 91裸聊视频� the petty crime, the theft and that kind of stuff 91裸聊视频� that comes along with people still being outside,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淚f we had every single one of those people housed, chances are, we would have a lot less problems.91裸聊视频�

Caitlin.clow@kelownacapnews.com
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