The Aboriginal Friendship Society (KAFS) says it plans to contest any move by the Mayor of Kamloops to move one of its locations on Victoria Street West.
“We’re surprised cause we’re supposed to be partners,” said KAFS Executive Director Cal Albright.
He says they were not given any official word ahead of Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson unveiling a notice-of-motion at council on Tuesday, suggesting the mini-storage facility at on Victoria Street West be moved.
“To review services offered at 48 Victoria Street West, that council authorize staff to prepare a report for councilors’ consideration regarding a review and potential relocation of the services offered at 48 Street West,” proclaimed Hamer-Jackson at the council meeting.
KAFS runs – and the City finances – the mini-storage, which allows around 200 homeless people in Kamloops to store their goods.
“In addition to that, we have a shower that’s available to them,” notes Albright. “We also have the ability to wash some of their clothes, we have a washer-dryer there that we use as well, and we also feed them.”
Albright says he hasn’t spoken to the Mayor about why he might want their mini-storage facility gone.
“There may be other interests that don’t appreciate what we’re doing down there, but they don’t necessarily understand what we’re doing either.”
Asked whether that could mean ‘business interests,’ Albright would only suggest “You have to ask the Mayor that.”
Numerous businesses in the area of 48 Victoria Street West have been the subject of break-ins and vandalism, including TRU Market Auto, owned by Reid Hamer-Jackson, less than 500 metres away from the storage facility.
Asked about the situation on NL Newsday with Brett Mineer, Councillor Katie Neustaeter suggests there are likely going to be questions about conflict-of-interest when the Mayor’s notice-of-motion makes the floor at the next Kamloops council meeting.
“I think that that’s something that will be explored before January 31st when this comes forward,” said Neustaeter.
“I think that that’s a good question that brings us back to things that happened previously around conflict-of-interest.”