By Michael Potestio, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The City of Kamloops is planning to close The Loop drop-in centre in North Kamloops.

The decision comes on the heels of an altercation at the centre on Thursday morning (July 22) involving a group of people, with a community services (bylaws) officer trying to keep the peace.

The drop-in centre at Tranquille Road and Mackenzie Avenue has served as a space for the homeless to congregate and get water and meals, but has been the subject of numerous complaints related to people congregating, drug use and garbage left behind.

In May the City of Kamloops deemed the address a nuisance property.

City of Kamloops social, housing and community development manager Carmin Mazzotta told KTW that prior to the Thursday incident, the city opted to not allocate federal funding it administers to The Loop.

Glenn Hilke of The Loop previously told KTW the drop-in centre would have to cut services as it applied for $188,000 in funding, but was only going to receive $38,000.

Mazzotta said those comments were premature and that the city was still in the process of a due diligence review.

He said the decision to not issue the $38,000 in funding to The Loop for the next four months was made because they have been deemed a nuisance property under the city’s good neighbour bylaw and has been the subject of various RCMP, community services and third- party security reports, among other reported concerns.

This item is reprinted with permission from Kamloops, BC, Kamloops This Week. For the complete article, click HERE

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