People living in a subsidized housing complex in downtown Kelowna are being forced to leave due to safety worries caused by the building of the new 43-storey UBC Okanagan tower across the street.
Hadgraft Wilson Place, a 68-unit affordable housing complex at 1360 Bertram St., has already started a planned three-day evacuation after a review by third-party geotechnical and structural engineers indicated that the UBC Okanagan construction has raised safety concerns for the building and its occupants.
The fire chief, Dwight Seymour, explained, “Recent assessments have shown that the level of risk is significant enough to start the evacuation process to make sure the people inside are safe.”
He added, “Also, because the building has shifted, safety features may not work properly in an emergency, posing a risk to the occupants and first responders.”
A meeting was held on Sunday to inform residents about what to expect in the next few days. The City of Kelowna, Pathways Abilities Society, and BC Housing will support and assist residents throughout the process.
Charisse Daley, executive director of Pathways Abilities Society, stated, “We are committed to ensuring our tenants get the help they need during this challenging time.”
She said, “Pathways will work with each tenant to understand their needs and help them find resources and accommodations as needed.”
UBCO has stopped construction work at the site voluntarily for now, and engineers will continue to closely monitor the structure and soil movement.
Issues caused by tower construction have been well recorded since last autumn, when cracks in the foundations of buildings around the university development were first found. As a result, nearby businesses and buildings have had to close temporarily as a precaution.
