Homes 'atrocious bunker'

Open letter to Kelowna’s mayor and councillors

When you announced the homeless "tiny homes" (in modular buildings) set up on Highway 97 between Leathead Road and McCurdy Road, you promised it would be beautified, for the public to be patient and you guaranteed it would fit in with the neighbouring businesses and not stand out among the surroundings.

Now, you are placing 100% of the blame on the province, claiming you have no say into the atrocious bunker it has built.

The city donated the land and is a partner in this project. It is our city and we have building codes, bylaws, etc. to prevent people from just putting up whatever they feel like putting up.

You turn down legitimate builders over and over again because they propose apartment buildings and condo buildings that aren't pretty enough and force them to come back with enhancements so the buildings have some character.

I don't think anyone expected this thing alongside Highway 97 to add character to the neighbourhood but we did take you at your word it would look decent and I would challenge any one of you to stand up and be proud of this thing.

Can you please take a stand on this and force BC Housing to make this thing look like you said it would. If you do not, I am going to build a eight-feet high wall between my house and my neighbour out of ugly concrete blocks, without a permit, and dare you to try and make me remove it.

If this stands between Highway 97 and Leathead and McCurdy Roads all bets are off with developers and residents just doing what they want because there is no enforcement of our bylaws.

Please do what is right for all residents of Kelowna and get this situation under control.

Wendy Arsenault, Kelowna