Cornerstone gets extension

Photo: Wayne Moore

Downtown Kelowna’s Cornerstone shelter, which some businesses have said is the bane of their existence these days, will not be closing at the end of June after all.

The province and the City of Kelowna announced Friday in a press release that the shelter will remain open until “another location is found or people are located and housed."

BC Housing and city officials say they are continuing to work together to build housing for the homeless and those at risk, and the province will be ponying up $2.4 million so the 80-bed shelter will remain open.

“We understand and share the frustration of the community around the Cornerstone shelter, but if we close now it would pose a greater risk of impact to the community and the residents of Cornerstone,” city director of community safety Lance Kayfish said. “Not only are people provided with shelter, but the supports inside the shelter save lives.”

The province has opened supportive housing buildings on Highway 97 and on Commerce Avenue during the last six months, and two more are in development on Agassiz and McIntosh roads.

“At this time, however, Cornerstone needs to remain operational until residents can transition to an alternate location or into supportive housing,” Kayfish said. “We recognize that this is not ideal, but as a community we must provide service to our most vulnerable while balancing community safety. We have plans in place to mitigate impact as much as possible.”

Cornerstone, on Leon Avenue in the former A&B Sound building, opened in November 2017. This is the third extension the facility has received, with the others coming in March and in March 2018.