Twice as many people sleeping rough on Kelowna streets as in early summer

Every evening a row of tents and tarp structures lines both sidewalks of the 200 block of Leon Avenue in Kelowna's downtown core.

People living on the streets have long been drawn to this block because of the Gospel Mission with its emergency shelter, soup kitchen and outreach services. 

This fall, however, the street is more crowded with people standing or sitting on the sidewalks at all times of the day, many of them with shopping carts or bike trailers full of belongings.

"We have seen the number of people sleeping rough in the downtown core increase from an average of about 20 to 22 back in June closer to 40 or 42 today. So those numbers have increased," said Darren Caul, director of community safety for the City of Kelowna.

This is despite the opening of two supportive housing buildings in Kelowna over the past year, which took in a combined total of 86 people experiencing homelessness.

Regular street clearing and cleaning

In order to keep Leon Avenue safe and clean, the City's bylaw department has started rousing people and clearing them off Leon Avenue three times a week. 

A street clean-up team then pick ups everything from discarded fast food wrappers to furniture that's been hauled onto the street, or dropped off here.

Street cleaning machines equipped with pressure washer hoses then clean off the sidewalks.

"This isn't about enforcement," said Caul.

"This is about safety and this is about cleanliness for the people who are living on Leon."

Watch: time-lapse video of street team cleaning Leon Avenue

Time-lapse video: Kelowna street being cleared by bylaw and cleaning crews

5 years ago

Duration 0:55

Kelowna bylaw officers and cleaning crews rouse people sleeping on the streets and clean up the refuse left behind three times a week.

Gary Baker has been living on Leon Avenue since he moved to Kelowna in February.

 Baker appreciates the city keeping Leon clean but said it's a lot of work to pack up and relocate.

"It's an all day job," he said, adding that some people have a lot of possessions to move.

"When you take three to four hours a day and you have to get up, unset, set up, down, up, down every day, that's the amount of time people need to go to welfare, go get their ID's, go get a job."

Meanwhile both the Gospel Mission and Cornerstone shelter further down Leon are full.

Caul said the city and the agencies that serve the homeless community are looking for a place to accommodate more people as temperatures drop.

As for a more permanent solution: 100 more supportive housing beds are expected to open up next year in Kelowna.