Safety near shelter in works

In anticipation of an upcoming winter shelter in Penticton, the city is still working on crime prevention preparations in the adjacent neighbourhoods.

Penticton council previously green-lit a 24/7 winter shelter to be located at 402 Warren Avenue East operated by BC Housing and a not-for-profit local organization. The city will lease the building, which is approximately 6,500 square feet and can shelter approximately 50 individuals, at a cost of $120,000.

The deal came with some caveats that public safety be taken into account.

At the most recent council meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 5, Mayor Julius Bloomfield asked for an update, specifically related to promised "Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design," known colloquially as CPTED, in the surrounding neighbourhoods.

"Is that being carried out yet?" he asked.

"Offers have been made. The city has sent out a letter a number of weeks ago making that offering. To my knowledge, there hasn't been any interest expressed yet. However, there'll be a secondary letter that is sent out this week with that offer still standing," said Julie Czeck, director of public safety and partnerships.

Within the shelter, CPTED work has been done. CPTED is described as, essentially, using environment design whether public or private to make it undesirable or difficult to commit crime, whether that be for fear of getting caught or by limiting access.

Supt. Beth McAndie of the South Okanagan-Similkameen RCMP detachment said she did a walkthrough of the facility in September along with others from the RCMP and fire department, with an eye to CBTED design.

"I haven't seen the final report. I know that we left the retired [police] member that was doing the CBTED for us in the facility to finish up, and I expect to see that report, I would say, by the end of the week," McAndie said.

"But from my perspective, it was a really good experience, and it was a good for us all to be in the same place at the same time, to be asking those key questions."

The winter shelter will operate from its opening date in November, which is anticipated to be soon, until March 31.