Kelowna Crime Rate Highest in Canada

[Graphite]

I have not found Kelowna to be a safe place

Sorry to hear that. I keep hearing, on these forums, about how dangerous the city is. You'd think nobody could go downtown without getting mauled by these crazed homeless people. I've just never experienced the violence people here keep alluding to. Whenever I watch the castanet videos of the reporters asking people questions, on any topic, right in downtown Kelowna, none of them appear to be all that scared.

Then you and they are the lucky ones. just because you or they have not experienced it doesn't mean it's not happening everywhere.

[Ken7]

How many more weeks before the Kelowna downtown is all plywood windows?

I can see a number of stores closing their doors due to lack of enforcement!!

[Mazdatruck]

If people don't already know, the City of Kelowna will not approve shutters that will go over business windows because they don't like how it looks. Every business downtown would have the rolldown shutters if they were allowed to be installed but then downtown would look like a warzone. The City of Kelowna is really vain and will not accept such a thing.

...so they make businesses keep paying for broken glass and break ins.

...to make it look like downtown is safe.



https://www.Kelowna.ca/sites/files/1/do ... lletin.pdf

[tim L.]

This is ridiculous for the past 2 weeks i have bin seeing retailer after downtown retailer complaining about the vandalism at their businesses and not one councilor or our Mayor have stepped up and said we are going to fix this.
They have caused this with their policies of housing criminals and people with mental issues in our North end at a cost of approximately 100,000.00 dollars a month. It is very easy to be homeless in Kelowna, Our City makes it easy.
I am so sick of feeling unsafe in our downtown area.
City Council you were voted in to manage our city. Start doing it. Protect the taxpayers who pay your inflated salaries.
Stop the photo ops and do your jobs. Mayor Dyas Stop smiling in your interviews you have nothing to smile about!
What is happening all over our city is Shameful!

[one wheel]

The real question that should be discussed regarding Kelowna's crime rate is do the RCMP want to deal
with break-in crimes & traffic issues anymore or has their focus switched to handling major international problems ?

While business owners are pleading for help our city plunges deeper into crime being out of control.

[Ken7]

If people don't already know, the City of Kelowna will not approve shutters that will go over business windows because they don't like how it looks. Every business downtown would have the rolldown shutters if they were allowed to be installed but then downtown would look like a warzone. The City of Kelowna is really vain and will not accept such a thing.

...so they make businesses keep paying for broken glass and break ins.

...to make it look like downtown is safe.



https://www.Kelowna.ca/sites/files/1/do ... lletin.pdf

I think one could easily present a case in court if the City had a By-law regarding this.

IF they forced you, not to protect your property, would they be liable for loss and destruction?

[Rejigger]

If people don't already know, the City of Kelowna will not approve shutters that will go over business windows because they don't like how it looks. Every business downtown would have the rolldown shutters if they were allowed to be installed but then downtown would look like a warzone. ...

It's absurd that the CoK won't allow businesses to protect their property using this proven method.

It's time to make roller shutters more attractive. Can roller shutters be installed indoors? If so, business owners can paint their shutters with something that passes for artwork so that looking through the window would be pleasant, similar to a business's window display. No need for attempted break-ins if the criminal sees a roller shutter on the other side (unless the point is strictly vandalism).

~

[Mazdatruck]

If people don't already know, the City of Kelowna will not approve shutters that will go over business windows because they don't like how it looks. Every business downtown would have the rolldown shutters if they were allowed to be installed but then downtown would look like a warzone. The City of Kelowna is really vain and will not accept such a thing.

...so they make businesses keep paying for broken glass and break ins.

...to make it look like downtown is safe.



https://www.Kelowna.ca/sites/files/1/do ... lletin.pdf

I think one could easily present a case in court if the City had a By-law regarding this.

IF they forced you, not to protect your property, would they be liable for loss and destruction?

The laws are the laws. Courts wouldn't touch it.

According to the city, if you can't afford to replace glass / break ins then you can close up shop and someone else will take over the lease. There are not a lot of empty stores downtown so as far as the city thinks there is no problem.

The City won't do anything until the landlords that own all the properties downtown start whining to the city the nobody wants to rent out their properties and downtown starts looking like Detroit in 1985.

Small business owners are just "customers" of the landlords, and the landlords are the ones that the city listens to. There will always be another sucker with 150k that wants to open a store downtown!

Good luck dealing with the homeless and make sure you pay the rent on time.

[Mazdatruck]

It's absurd that the CoK won't allow businesses to protect their property using this proven method.

It's time to make roller shutters more attractive. Can roller shutters be installed indoors? If so, business owners can paint their shutters with something that passes for artwork so that looking through the window would be pleasant, similar to a business's window display. No need for attempted break-ins if the criminal sees a roller shutter on the other side (unless the point is strictly vandalism).

The city wants bright lights, open glass and "window shopping" downtown at night.

Even with murals painted on shutters it would look like a hurricane is coming every night downtown. Boarded up buttoned up stores. No shiny lights and glass.

That's what they don't want.

It's vanity on the cities part.

[kgcayenne]

Businesses go right on ahead and install roll shutters anyway. There are quite a few downtown. No fines to-date, and none have been taken down the last I saw. Oh, and companies are not supposed to put barbed wire on their alleyway fence tops either, yet many there are.

[Mazdatruck]

Businesses go right on ahead and install roll shutters anyway. There are quite a few downtown. No fines to-date, and none have been taken down the last I saw. Oh, and companies are not supposed to put barbed wire on their alleyway fence tops either, yet many there are.

I had to deal with this situation and found bylaw to be aggressive, and I would never say the City of Kelowna/West Kelowna bylaw enforcement is lacking. Curious as to your info source, observational or are you involved in the situation somehow?

I know some shutters are grandfathered and if you jump through all the hoops and get broken into enough they will consider letting you install shutters. Most people don't have unlimited budgets but some people do.

The City is clear they do not want that "look".

We have all the conditions that go along with a boarded up downtown, without the boards.

Got to keep up appearances.

[Rejigger]

"The City is clear they do not want that "look".
Got to keep up appearances."

But they're fine with all the zombies roaming around.

Once again decent, law-abiding citizens are the ones who pay the price. Talk about backwards thinking.

~

[Lynn K]

Roll shutters are not illegal.
There's an application process that addresses code for egress etc.
Im unsure how its worded, but cok requests or recommends that shutters aren't used, Im certain its for esthetics, they dont want downtown looking like what it really is.
Like any other permit ap, make the application, its reviewed and approved or disapproved.

[Lynn K]

Businesses go right on ahead and install roll shutters anyway. There are quite a few downtown. No fines to-date, and none have been taken down the last I saw. Oh, and companies are not supposed to put barbed wire on their alleyway fence tops either, yet many there are.

Haha! There's a few companies in town (no names mentioned) that have razor wire.
Frankly, I dont blame them, Imo its an ideal solution to a persistent problem that doesnt get the governmental attention it needs.

[GordonH]

This province and our country need something to change, hopefully sooner rather then later.