It’s an area of Kelowna, B.C., that is considered by many the epicentre of crime and social disorder.
The issues plaguing Rutland are ones that have long been overlooked, according to many who live and work in the area.
“I feel like the system has failed us,” said concerned Rutland resident Kitana Toland.
Toland and Sharlene Drohomereski and other area residents say they are fed up and taking matters into their own hands.
“I personally don’t want to raise my kids in a community where we have to be scared to even let our kids play out in our yards,” Toland told Global News.
The pair, who lives near Ben Lee Park, is mobilizing concerned residents and creating a neighbourhood watch group to conduct foot patrol and establish a network of safe locations.
“It would be a place where people can go to if they are feeling scared or unsafe,” Drohomereski said.
Called the Ben Lee Community Watch Group, it would also enhance safety by encouraging neighbours to watch and report any suspicious activity in the area — one that has become unsafe, according to organizers.
“We have children seeing people passed out in the park, we have people passing out in people’s yards, we’ve had people using drugs in public spaces, on private property,” said Drohomereski, describing some of the problems area residents are experiencing.
The issues in Rutland are drawing renewed attention from the city.
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It is providing some funding to the Uptown Rutland Business Association (URBA) to help reboot a program aimed at helping businesses manage social disorder.
“It’s kind of a mix of security, basically helping our business owners,” said URBA president Jason Bullock.
Similar to the Downtown Kelowna Association’s red shirt program, URBA ambassadors will again be responding to business complaints, such as loitering and mischief, after a six-month hiatus.
“It’s going to start in the mornings and then from there, we’ll see what we can do as we search for more funding,” said Bullock. “I believe this project is just making everyone know that we’re trying our best to get business up and running every day.”
URBA is officially re-launching the program next week.
In addition to the URBA on-call program, Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas is also proposing expanding a clean-up program in Rutland called ‘Community Care’ from three days to five days.
The program employs vulnerable people to clear streets of garbage and other debris.
Dyas could not comment on the matter Thursday ahead of council debating it at its upcoming meeting.
While some residents say the steps being taken are long overdue, others are just pleased to see them happening.
“It’s about time that we get the attention that we need, so we can become a vibrant location in Kelowna, just like downtown or Pandosy or other areas,” said Bullock, who is a business owner himself and operates OK Tire Rutland.
“It really is a hidden gem and you know these little steps, I believe, are going to help get us to the next step of what what a great Rutland is going to look like.”
Anyone wanting to be part of the newly formed ‘Ben Lee Community Watch Group’ is asked to send an email to [email protected].
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