EDITORIAL – Fast action needed to fix Stuart Wood homeless-shelter issues

Posted on November 22, 2017 in Editorials, Page One, Rothenburger // 5 Comments

Police cars attending incident at Stuart Wood homeless shelter. (Image: courtesy Coun. Denis Walsh)

An ArmchairMayor.ca editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

SOMETIMES good intentions aren’t enough to make an idea work the way it should.

Worries were expressed about using the Stuart Wood school gym for an interim winter shelter for the homeless before the doors opened three weeks ago — things like needles on the grounds, the fact that kids play there, and the pickup and drop-off of Beattie elementary students.

But those concerns were swept aside in the rush to open the shelter, with negligible public-input time to smooth out any wrinkles.

Now, that haste has come home to roost.

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Mel Rothenburger’s Armchair Mayor editorials appear twice daily Mondays through Thursdays on CFJC- TV. His Armchair Mayor column is published Saturdays on ArmchairMayor.ca and CFJC Today. Contact him at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

About Mel Rothenburger (11810 Articles)

ArmchairMayor.ca is a forum about Kamloops and the world. It has more than one million views. Mel Rothenburger is the former Editor of The Daily News in Kamloops, B.C. (retiring in 2012), and past mayor of Kamloops (1999-2005). At ArmchairMayor.ca he is the publisher, editor, news editor, city editor, reporter, webmaster, and just about anything else you can think of. He is grateful for the contributions of several local columnists. This blog doesn't require a subscription but gratefully accepts donations to help defray costs.

5 Comments on EDITORIAL – Fast action needed to fix Stuart Wood homeless-shelter issues

R A George // November 24, 2017 at 10:51 AM // Reply

Fence off the side walk. Have a security guard at gate during the day,all same library.

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Mark Carlson // November 22, 2017 at 5:51 PM // Reply

Mel have you thought about running for MAYOR in the next election. If you do you have my vote .

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- Mel Rothenburger // November 22, 2017 at 7:20 PM // Reply
  
  Thanks, I appreciate the sentiment, but I think twice was enough. I’m a rural kind of guy now.
  
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Pierre // November 22, 2017 at 7:55 AM // Reply

Fast? It took years of mis-governance at the hands of people like Gordon Campbell, Christy Clark and cronies that lead to the present situation.
The haste has indeed come home to roost. You, dear Mel, should send a note to Stone, Krueger, Milobar, Lake and ask them to address the dreadful situation we are stuck with because they were directly involved, in one form or another, to get us where we are at.

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John // November 22, 2017 at 7:23 AM // Reply

So, since when do Joe and Jane Average of the public know things that planners don’t?
Yes, we need to have compassion. These people do need to be cared for. There has to be some consideration given to public input and credit given to people who have also been given grey matter between their ears.
Is there a Plan B in place?
Kids being exposed to elements of the drug trade is likely my biggest concern now that I have grey hair and have seen other stuff happening.

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