Vernon's new kindness meters proving their worth | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
Subscribe

Would you like to subscribe to our newsletter?

Current Conditions Cloudy  3.2°C

Vernon News

Vernon's new kindness meters proving their worth

VERNON - Kindness meters appear to be having an effect on aggressive panhandling in Vernon.

Ever since the bright orange meters were installed in downtown Vernon, bylaw officers have noticed a significant drop in aggressive panhandling complaints and incidents.

“The signage and the kindness meters seem to be doing a fairly decent job of pushing some of the panhandling from those locations where we were having significant issues,” the city’s manager of protective services Clint Kanester says. “I think it has really made a difference.”

In the first two weeks, the five kindness meters collected roughly 12 pounds of coinage. One pound of coins is, on average, worth about $36, Kanester says. All proceeds are donated to local organizations such as the John Howard Society, Upper Room Mission and the Salvation Army.

“My staff have even heard people say to panhandlers, ‘sorry, I can’t give you money today, I put it in the kindness meter,” Kanester says. “We love seeing people putting money in the meters because it’s going to the right places.”

Kanester says there has been a ‘noticeable reduction’ in the amount of aggressive panhandling taking place, and a substantial reduction in complaints about it from the public.

In addition to the kindness meters, the city also put up educational signage and stepped up enforcement on aggressive panhandling, which can include threatening actions, obstructing the path of the person being solicited, or using profane language. While panhandling is not illegal, aggressive panhandling is a violation of the Safe Streets Act.

Five kindness meters have been put up in Vernon to help deal with aggressive panhandling concerns.
Five kindness meters have been put up in Vernon to help deal with aggressive panhandling concerns.
Image Credit: Instagram/ ballisticmike

To contact a reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston or call 250-309-5230 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2016
iNFOnews

  • Popular kelowna News
View Site in: Desktop | Mobile