Notorious motel sold

Photo: Colin Dacre

Penticton's Highland Motel has been sold

Penticton’s infamous Highland Motel has been sold, with all tenants given until the end of the month to leave.

It's not clear at this point who exactly purchased the property, but City of Penticton Director of Development Services Anthony Haddad says they have been told the new owners intend on redeveloping the lands.

Haddad says they have informed local non-profit housing groups through 100 Homes Penticton of the eviction notices. 15 units at the motel currently provide low cost housing. 

“Options on working with the new owners to let  the current residents remain until a development is more imminent is an option being discussed,” he said.

In a statement, B.C. Housing said they have reached out to the tenants to "determine their needs and options," and that individuals in need of housing can apply to the Supportive Housing Registration Service.  

Castanet News spoke with an elderly resident of the Highland, who has lived there for four years, and is not looking forward to leaving, despite the surrounding chaos and widespread drug use.

On Friday afternoon, she said nobody has contacted her offering help on finding a new home.

The motel has long been a beehive of criminal activity, with RCMP attending it on a regular basis. 

“It is obviously housing some individuals that need it, but it is housing some individuals that take advantage of some residents there and used it as a base to sell drugs, steal property and other crimes,” Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth of the Penticton RCMP said. “We attend it on a regular basis, even without calls, we frequent the place and recover stolen bicycles, stolen vehicles and other stolen items.”

Wrigglesworth said tourists staying in the surrounding RV parks are also frequently victimized by property theft.