ADDICT HOUSING CAUSING A STIR

No one will call them battle plans, but opposing forces in the debate
over a downtown apartment block for drug addicts and homeless are
"marshalling forces."

On Tuesday, downtown property owners attended a closed-door session
of about 75 people, ending with a call for a moratorium on the
30-suite building on St. Paul Street.

On Wednesday, members of the Four Pillars Coalition and the Kelowna
Homelessness Steering Committee were involved in separate strategy sessions.

One document being circulated by the John Howard Society was entitled
"breaking down barriers."

"First and foremost, proponents must be better organized than the
opposition -- start with education," said the document.

It continued on with suggestions for organizing a campaign, including
use of the media.

It concluded: "Remember, you cannot kill a good idea."

Ian Graham, a former banker who heads the homelessness steering
committee, said he attended last Thursday's meeting called by
downtown property owners as well as Tuesday night's meeting.

"I was familiar with many of the faces in the room," said Graham.
"Many of the statements that were made (Thursday), I was disappointed
in, but I understood where they were coming from.

"Last night's affair was much more organized than last Thursday,"
said Graham. "There was much more sober thought and a recognition
that if they weren't going to make headway with vinegar then they
would have to make it with reason.

"They have the ability to be well organized."

Graham said there isn't time for alternative plans.

"We are in support of the project because the city needs the
project," said Graham. "The city has 420 homeless people on the
streets, and that number is more than a year old," he said.

He suggested a figure of 525 homeless may be more accurate today.

"We are in agreement with the project at the place the project has
been located because we need the project tomorrow," said Graham.

"We don't need it five years from now. We don't need it at the KSS
site and the suggestion that it would take eight years."

The proposed building would be open in the fall of 2007.

He agreed both sides are marshalling forces, but thinks there is
still an opportunity for a resolution that would make both groups happy.

"I still think there is room for amicability and both sides to
explain their positions," he said. "I think there's room for IH to
explain the details of the project. There are some misunderstandings
of the nature of the project.

"We can just rationally explain that in other areas, these facilities work."

The city is hosting an open house on the project 4-8 p.m. tonight at
the Rotary Centre for the Arts.