Mini-storage location at 48 West Victoria Street (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

NOTICE OF MOTION

Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society on board with proposed review of West Victoria mini-storage

Jan 19, 2023 | 4:26 PM

KAMLOOPS — On Tuesday (Jan. 19), Kamloops Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson introduced a notice of motion to “review services offered at 48 Victoria Street West, and that council authorize staff to prepare a report for councillors’ consideration regarding a review and potential relocation of the services.”

Despite being blindsided by the motion, the Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society that runs the mini-storage location is fully in favour of a review.

“Perhaps this is the best location, perhaps there are other locations and we will look at it together,” Executive Director of the Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society Cal Albright told CFJC Today.

Working together for the common goal of supporting the city’s most vulnerable is all Albright is looking for.

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“I’m glad [Hamer-Jackson brought it up] because that gives us an opportunity to explain what we do. If we didn’t have this kind of location or place, I think there would be lots of people who would even be more vulnerable,” said Albright.

Rows of storage bins (image credit – CFJC Today)

The mini-storage location holds the belongings of more than 200 homeless residents in Kamloops. It also offers showers, laundry and food to the city’s homeless population.

“In my mind it’s a bad location, it’s a high traffic area. We are stigmatizing people. I’ve known by going in the building that they are short of room. And I’ve just learned that they want to do other things. [The motion is] just to review and look at relocating it,” said Hamer-Jackson.

The mayor did state that he fully supports the services being offered — he’s simply questioning the location.

Since the notice of motion was presented, questions have arisen regarding a potential conflict of interest as Hamer-Jackson owns property just down the street.

“Certainly, that conversation is going to have to happen and frankly, I imagine the mayor has already had the conversation with legal counsel and staff. And he may talk about that during his notice of motion,” said Councillor Mike O’Reilly.

“I’ve checked with my own legal council and there is no conflict,” added Hamer-Jackson.

While a decision on the location of the mini-storage is not imminent, the idea of a potential move is plausible. The friendship society is running out of room both there and at its facility on the North Shore.

“We have been looking for some time to relocate where we are on the North Shore. We have outgrown our building. I told the mayor we need an acre of land so we can really put forward a great program, add more services, add housing,” said Albright.

The notice of motion will be debated and voted on at the next meeting scheduled for January 31.