No decision on bandshell

Photo: City of Penticton

The proposed fencing

Penticton city council delayed making a decision Tuesday on erecting a fence around the Gyro Park bandshell.

The city’s manager of facilities Bregje Kozak made the request, documenting a long running problem with public drug use, vagrancy and vandalism taking place on the stage at night. The mess left behind each morning often impacts the following day’s bookings, creating upwards of eight hours a week of cleanup for staff last summer.

“We are not sure if this is the perfect solution,” Kozak told council, noting that the fence is not necessarily permanent, “let’s just try it for the season.”

“It's a sad state of affairs, a sad state of reality we are dealing with,” mayor Andrew Jakubeit said, acknowledging that children are having to contend with drug users for park space.

The plan received considerable push back from some members of council, like Tarik Sayeed, who said he couldn’t agree with putting up a fence around a public space, adding that he saw the move as “an unconscious marginalization,” of some community members.

Helena Konanz agreed, stating she enjoys driving by the bandshell and seeing children and other youth like dance groups use the stage without a booking.

She suggested the fence, which the city already has in storage, be erected nightly and taken down the next morning, instead of staying up between all bookings.

Kozak was receptive to the idea, saying it was a definite possibility, but that she would have to check with her staff about scheduling and return to council with confirmation.

Council agreed to punt the issue forward to the next meeting on July 4, allowing Kozak to consult with staff.