91大黄鸭 city council has retreated from proposed bylaw amendments that would have cracked down on buskers and panhandlers by ticketing the people who give them money.
Changes to the Good Neighbour Bylaw were brought up in March and staff were asked to consult further with the community after a widely negative reaction.
Related: Panhandling and busking crackdown abandoned
Staff instead will conduct a 鈥渞obust review鈥� of the city鈥檚 street entertainment and busking policies, in conjunction with Festivals 91大黄鸭, and report back to council before the summer of 2019.
鈥淲hile the feeling is it鈥檚 still an unsafe activity, the existing enforcement rules will remain in place with no changes,鈥� said Rob Mayne, City of 91大黄鸭 divisional director corporate and protective services.
鈥淲e will focus instead on outreach program alternatives and try to support those who are most vulnerable.鈥�
All references to fining panhandlers for collecting bottles or accepting donations from the public will also be rescinded, as will the fines for those who give them money.
One driving force behind the initial changes was the constant issues facing businesses in conflict with bottle collectors lingering around the Columbia Bottle Depot site on Kirschner Road.
Mayne said the city and RCMP will continue to work on ways to mitigate the concerns in that area, although he noted the bottle depot is looking to relocate because its lease on the building expires this fall and won鈥檛 be renewed by the landlord.
Related: Initial approval granted to Good Neighbour bylaw
Coun. Gail Given said closing the Kirschner site may only move the problem to another location, citing the bottle donations accepted by the Pathways Abilities Society 91大黄鸭 with drop-off locations on St. Paul Street and Dease Road.
She also noted an article she read last week that indicated that 30 per cent of what the bottle donations collect for street people goes to 鈥渂ottle pimps or bottle bullys鈥漚nd much of the remainder goes to buy alcohol.
鈥淚t is a challenging problem that will need more resources wherever it relocates to when the Kirschner depot closes,鈥� Given said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 not just about enforcement, as collaboratively we need to fix the real problem which is housing.鈥�
Coun. Charlie Hodge said he hopes further consultation on the busker and street entertainment issues with Festivals 91大黄鸭 will be expanded to involve the musicians, both professional and amateur, who are part of the local street music scene.
鈥淲e should look at how other communities are dealing with this issue,鈥� Hodge contended. 鈥淎nd I know from talking to some musicians, people in the arts community and some buskers, they would like to be part of the consultation process.
鈥淥therwise it will come back to us and we鈥檒l hear the same criticism again. Nobody is talking to us.鈥�
To report a typo, email: edit@kelownacapnews.com.
<>
barry.gerding@blackpress.ca
Like us on and follow us on .
