Kelowna shocks tourists

My family and I recently visited Kelowna at the end of July-early August, as we have for the last couple of years.  

We were drawn back by the warm temperatures, beautiful lake, area amenities and friendly people.

Each year, my children have repeatedly asked to attend Wibit at the City Park beach. To say it is one of your biggest family attractions would be an understatement.

Unfortunately, our views have significantly changed this year, altering our perception of City Park, Downtown Kelowna and future travel to your city.

Here is a summary of what our pre-teen children experienced Aug. 1.

Three children walked to the public bathrooms in the middle of the park and immediately ran back, informing us that “sketchy people” were in there. I returned with two of the children to observe a drug-induced male taking a self shower with the public sink. 

One of the children needed to use the bathroom stall, and when he opened it saw a drug addict shooting heroin into his arm.

Our family and five others had to wait 20 minutes for these drug addicts to clear out so other could safely use the facilities. I personally checked the bathroom stall for any needles and paraphernalia.

Within the hour, I observed yet another drug-infused male swim fully clothed out onto the Wibit, where dozens of children were playing. 

He ultimately waded back to shore, made a public spectacle of himself for the tourists in the area, and walked back into the park. All the while, a teenage employee of Wibit was on the phone with the police and following the man down the path by herself.

My children and all the others at the park got to experience yet another one of your fine citizens not long after, strung out on drugs and striking a pose in a near catatonic state after just shooting up.

These incidents could have resulted in children getting stuck with needles, a near public drowning and potentially significant harm being done to the teenage employee who was following an unpredictable drug addict.

While I can appreciate B.C. is suffering from an opioid epidemic, I wanted to express my total disbelief, frustration and anger at what my children and dozens of others experienced in your city, in just one afternoon.

Instead of expressing the positivity of our family vacation and the merits of Kelowna, our impression is forever altered.

If this is what tourists can expect from Kelowna, I foresee you also having to deal with a tourism crisis.

Blayne Eliuk, Alberta