A Kamloops councillor thinks city-owned land near the Tournament Capital Ranch would be a suitable place to set up modular housing for homeless residents.

Denis Walsh suggested the idea as a possible alternative to social housing in the city’s core.

“We’re integrating them right into the city core, where everything happens with all these distractions. It’s hard to recover because they’re being bombarbed by the same people they’re trying to get away from daily, and that’s their social space. So I think we need to separate it and start a community or something else. What we’re doing I don’t think is working, is going to work,” Walsh says.

“I think it’s a distraction to them, they’re vulnerable, there’s predators out there. And I know we’ve talked about it, I believe we should start a community, whether it’s the (Tournament Capital Ranch), or somewhere. I think we should have a place where we can protect these people from the predators. Put them in a safe space. Right now they don’t have that choice.”

Mayor Ken Christian responded saying he’s heard that idea before, but called it naive and a discredit to work on social issues being done by city staff.

The land that covers the Tournament Capital Ranch and other vacant land surrounding that facility, on what used to be the Rayleigh Correctional Centre.

A case study done several years ago says other future development on the property “may include an exhibition/ agri-plex building and equestrian facilities. The Tk’emlups First Nation is making plans for an RV park, and a portion of the land has been retained for agricultural use.” However, it makes no mention of temporary social housing as a possible usage.

The city is continuing to work to bring in social housing units and shelter spaces. Currently, there are at least 90 more homeless residents than shelter beds available on any given night.

NL News has reached out to community development manager Barbara Berger for more information about the city-owned site.