A group of about 30 protestors showed up Monday to voice their displeasure about proposed changes to Nanaimo Square in downtown Penticton.

Image Credit: Keith Lacey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Nanaimo Square is one of downtown Penticton’s most popular gathering places for all local residents and visitors, so singling out the disenfranchised few homeless residents who like to gather there, usually at night, is not right, said the organizer of a protest that attracted 30 local residents Monday afternoon.

The protestors gathered after reading media accounts of how a staff report is recommending making significant changes to Nanaimo Square, including removal of one large spruce tree and a popular salmon fountain located in the middle of the public square.

Jack Rynda said he organized the protest, mainly through social media, after reading about the staff report suggesting major changes to Nanaimo Square.

“There has been good taxpayer dollars spent into building this square, the benches, the fountain and these trees, that have been growing here for a very long time,” he said. “For over 30 years, Nanaimo Square has been a place of respite for a lot of people, whether they be unhoused or not.

“I just find it a little ridiculous that they want to use more taxpayer money to deconstruct this beautiful place, instead of using the same money to reinvigorate the space and maybe add more amenities to it. It’s a waste of money in my opinion.”

Suggesting that removing trees and taking out fountains would discourage the few homeless residents who might gather occasionally in the square doesn’t make a lot of sense to him, said Rynda.

“It’s just displacement, plain and simple,” he said. “If they think what they’re proposing will stop the unhoused population from existing, but it’s just going to make them move onto other places downtown.”

If you don’t have a roof over your head or place to call home, seeking out shade and being able to sit down to rest in a nice place like Nanaimo Square shouldn’t surprise anyone, he said.

“If you don’t have a home, you need somewhere to go,” he said. “I understand why they might want to make a few changes, but cutting down trees and removing a fountain doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.”

The fact close to 30 people showing up at the hastily-called protest was very encouraging, said Rynda.

“It’s really nice to see so many people care about this place,” he said. “This is a really nice park that’s supposed to be for all residents and visitors.”

Mayor Julius Bloomfield spoke to numerous protestors during a brief stop at Nanaimo Square soon after the protest began Monday afternoon.

“What I’m telling everybody here is that this is a staff report that has come to council, in response to the city wanting to take care of the areas where there are higher crime rates or higher call out for bylaw and RCMP,” he said.

“It’s a staff report coming to council. We have not seen this report before any of the public saw it on Thursday. We’re going to review the report (Tuesday council meeting), we’re going to debate it and we’ll make a decision as to what direction we want to go in.”

Bloomfield said he doesn’t know of anyone on council who wants to move forward with removing art pieces, any trees “or wants to deal in a detrimental manner with the homeless population.’

A staff recommendation is an opinion by members of senior management, who are just doing their jobs, but it doesn’t mean members of council have to agree with or adopt those recommendations, said Bloomfield.

Whether or not opening up the space, removing trees and making other aesthetic changes and perhaps introducing a food vendor are up for debate and it’s up to council to debate these issues before reaching any final decision, he said.

Julie Czeck, general manager of public safety and partnerships, says in a staff report that there have been almost 400 calls for service at Nanaimo Square to the city’s bylaw department since 2021 and more than 1,300 calls for service to the RCMP in the same period of time.

John Green, a retired man who has called Penticton home for 10 years, said he couldn’t support anything he read in the staff report.

“To be honest, I can’t see that there’s any real good reason what’s being proposed,” he said. “There are a few saying occasionally, this square attracts homeless people, but they’re here and if forced to move, they’re going to be somewhere near here. I don’t think what’s being proposed would change anything.”

Any efforts to remove a few homeless people who might gather at Nanaimo Square, particularly at night when most residents are safe at home, will only result in them moving to another part of the downtown core, solving very little, said Green.

“We have to build a sense of community, we have to get the trust of people, which is a hell of a job because most of them don’t trust the authorities and I think it’s a big problem the entire community is facing,” he said. “Cutting down trees in a small park is no answer.”

Every citizen of Penticton deserves to be treated with respect “until they give me reason to not respect them,” he said. “I visit this place all the time and never had one incident where I felt disrespected.”

Since 2021, there have been a total of 408 calls to bylaw and 1,318 to the police, said the report.

“Enforcement actions alone - whether from police or bylaw - are not enough to address the underlying challenges faced in Nanaimo Square,” said the report.

“Nanaimo Square is located at a high-traffic intersection in downtown Penticton ...  it has increasingly become an area for problematic behaviours, including overnight sheltering, public defecation and bathing, drug use and loitering. These issues have undermined the square’s intended use, discouraging residents and visitors from frequenting the space.”

In response to these issues, bylaw staff and the RCMP’s Community Policing Team undertook a comprehensive Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) assessment last summer.

The CPTED is an approach to crime reduction that seeks to reduce perceived opportunities for crime through the design and management of the built and natural environment, said the staff report.

“The science behind CPTED is rooted in environmental psychology and urban planning, focusing on how physical spaces influence human behaviour,” said the report.

Key principles in this approach include creating a sense of ownership with design features like signage, fences or landscaping to signal care and monitoring, increasing visibility with clear sightlines to make it harder for unwanted activities to go unnoticed, the use of physical barriers like fences, gates and landscaping to limit and define entry and exist points and making spaces hard to break into or vandalize with stronger locks, barriers or security systems.

There are also plans to keep areas clean and well-maintained to prevent decay and signal care, which will hopefully discourage crime, while also enhancing community interaction and deter crime through collaborative activities and engagement, said the report.

The following has been recommended for Nanaimo Square:

- Spruce tree removal. Remove the large spruce tree and cement planter to eliminate a hiding spot and improve sight lines.

- Remove or modify seating areas by removing or reducing the metal seating around the trees.

- Adjust planter design by lowering or removing the cement block planter along the north side of the building to make it uncomfortable for sitting.

Removing the fountain if it continues to attract unwanted activities. If removals isn’t viable, implement modifications to restrict access.

- Place sings on the raised cement platform by the CIBC branch indicating private property and nearby businesses to attract the public to utilize the space differently.

- Continue regular enforcement of infractions to deter misconduct.

Address concerns in the back alley between Martin Street and Main Street by fencing off areas to reduce unwanted activities. Additional enhancements may include cameras and improve lighting.

They will also collaborate with the Downtown Penticton Business Improvement Association to provide internet access and explore the installation of security cameras, said the report.

— This story was originally published by the Penticton Herald

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