Park owners criticized

Re. One step closer to sale (Castanet, April 17)

The Callahan brothers and Justice Kevin Loo should be ashamed of themselves for deliberating the future of the residents of Shasta Mobile Home Park.

Calling it “not the most lucrative use of the land” is shameful.

While it is difficult to approximate the combined net worth of the four brothers, a conservative estimate would suggest it is upwards of many several millions. Why do they need more lucrative properties? When will enough be enough? We know the accumulation of wealth in the upper 1% is a serious problem and is resulting in the erosion of the middle class.

Housing is a human right. Everyone deserves secure tenure. Where will the residents of Shasta Mobile Home Park go once they’ve been kicked out to make way for whatever redevelopment scheme is on the table?

This is untenable and the (residents) of Kelowna should be outraged. We cannot keep doing this—forcing people out to redevelop a parcel of land just because it could be more “lucrative” for a select few, already wealthy, individuals. We cannot keep wasting dollars and time and media coverage on wealthy family feuds.

If the four brothers look up from their petty skirmishes, they might realize their arguments have the potential to affect many more lives than their own. Perhaps they should spend a day with the residents at Shasta. It might make them realize their efforts to thwart each other are ridiculous and harmful.

We keep hearing that the problems we’re facing in society stem from a lack of will, political or otherwise. Douglas, Bruce, Robert, Ted Callahan and Loo, shame on you. You have the power to stop this redevelopment madness.

Leave the park alone or, better yet, consider investing some of your accrued wealth into capital upgrades to the property to make it an even more socially connected place for its many long-time residents.

Do the right thing because you can.

Ryan Cope