EDITORIAL – Some questions for BC Housing on the Rosethorn facility
(Image: BC Housing)
An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.
IS ROSETHORN HOUSE a success, a failure or something in between?
The Victoria Street West supportive housing facility has been controversial since Day One, with businesses in the area complaining about crime rates since it opened almost two years ago.
Both the Canadian Mental Health Association — which manages the facility — and BC Housing speak glowingly of the results achieve at Rosethorn House, declaring that it’s “changing lives.”
A Kamloops lawyer, acting on behalf of business owners including car-lot owner Reid Hamer-Jackson, wants to know more. David McMillan has written a five-page letter to BC Housing questioning some of the claims made about the project.
In particular, McMillan points to a BC Housing report from July of this year that suggested Rosethorn House has delivered highly positive results.
Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
The letter should’ve been written to the agencies mentioned by City council/administration. Them councillors and administrators are well paid to act in behalf of all citizens and in the best interests of the whole city.