Kamloops This Week December 16, 2020

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020 | Volume 33 No. 64

WEATHER Periods of rain High 3 C Low 0 C SNOW REPORT Sun Peaks Resort Mid-mountain: 84 cm Alpine: 95 cm Harper Mountain Opening Dec. 18

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Aiming to nix the nuisance tag on Columbia Manga Basi owns the Star Lodge and Desert Inn. He said property owners are powerless when it comes to criminal behaviour. He said property owners can keep their properties clean. However, if staff ask too many questions of guests — such as who someone is and why they are staying — the safety of staff may be at risk. SEAN BRADY/KTW

JESSICA WALLACE

STAFF REPORTER

jessica@kamloopsthisweek.com

Owners of a strip of motels and hotels in Lower Sahali designated nuisance properties earlier this fall have been working cooperatively and the area is improving, according to the city. “I’m pleased to say that we are noticing a difference,” community services supervisor Kevin Beaton told a city committee last week. On Oct. 22, the city declared nine motels and hotels nuisance properties: the Star Lodge, Desert Inn, Knights Inn, Columbia Motor Lodge, Ramada Inn, Hospitality Inn, Panorama Inn, Best Western Plus, Grandview Hotel and Acadian Motor Inn (which is downtown). Beaton said the designation was due to criminal, bylaw and fire activity. He said the city is

working with the owners to make the properties again look like hotels and motels, not apartment buildings. A bylaws services report that went before the committee noted the property owners and managers committed to cleaning up

properties and ensuring safety for residents in the area. Kamloops Accommodation Association president Tyson Andrykew said property owners have taken a number of steps, including altering business models

to no longer accept monthly rentals, painting over graffiti, cleaning up properties, hiring security and altering landscaping to increase visibility. Beattie elementary parent Tara Bondar has noticed changes, including the boarding

up of some properties, less frequent activity at the city lookout during the day and timely response to complaints by bylaws staff. Bondar said one incident she reported to a hotel did not result in a response, but a subsequent call to bylaws

resulted in immediate action. She also touted the school district’s efforts to improve safety in the area. Asked if safety has improved since KTW last spoke to her for a previous story, Bondar said she feels safer and is walking more in the area. However, she said kids don’t yet feel safe. Running into Beattie and leaving her child in the vehicle, for example, Bondar returned to locked doors and a child afraid someone might enter the vehicle. In addition, she said her son chased an inebriated individual off school property. On another occasion, a traffic stop on the frontage road in front of the motels and hotels resulted in fear of a criminal

situation unfolding. “I don’t think the kids see. I don’t think they’re totally aware of the changes,” Bondar said. Meanwhile, Andrykew said the association was “disappointed” by nuisance property designations he said lumped together nine hotel and motel properties, not all of which are responsible for issues in the area. He said the designations added stress to an industry hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Andrykew said some properties do not deserve the nuisance property designation and the most problematic ones “know it and they’re the ones that are taking the most severe measures.” See SCARY, A10

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