Penticton’s kindness meter has moved.
The floral, colourful repurposed parking meter, previously located just outside the 200-block Main Street breezeway, is now situated just outside of city hall, which bylaw supervisor Tina Siebert said will hopefully draw more donations.
Proceeds from the meter go to 100 Homes Penticton, a convergence of a number of local nonprofits aimed at putting a roof over the heads of the city’s homeless population.
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“We just checked it this morning, actually, and we have seen an increase, which is great. So we’re really looking forward to providing an increased donation amount to 100 Homes to get persons housed and resources provided,” Siebert said.
The meter, initially installed directly beside a regular panhandling location at the mouth of the breezeway on Main Street, has been embroiled in somewhat of a controversy involving a panhandler, the courts and the City of Penticton’s Good Neighbour Bylaw.
Panhandler Paul Braun, who regularly panhandles at that location, against the panhandling clause of the Good Neighbour Bylaw, has been taken to court over eight violations of that bylaw. The bylaw prohibits panhandling in a way that causes an “obstruction,” defined by the city as being within 10 metres of a variety of locations, including sheltered public walkways.
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Braun had initially been handed eight tickets, each tallied at $110, but the city changed its route late last year to take the panhandler to court.
Braun told the Western News he felt the meter had been installed as a passive aggressive move against him, and in pre-trial negotiations with the city Braun said he would only change his regular panhandling spot if they removed the kindness meter and withdrew all charges.
“As a part of our fair process, we wanted to do whatever we could to alleviate panhandling at its prior location in the 200-block breezeway,” Siebert said. “That’s part of the goal, as well, and obviously making sure that following what people are encouraging us to do, and whatever that looks like.”
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Siebert said she hasn’t heard complaints about the kindness meter at its previous location from others outside of Braun.
Braun has regularly suggested the kindness meter does exactly the same thing he does.
“They didn’t remove it; they just moved it,” Braun said Wednesday afternoon, as he got up to leave the breezeway panhandling spot. “They’re still doing what I’m doing in a different place.”
Indeed, where the kindness meter currently sits, a panhandler would violate the bylaw, as it is within 10 metres of the Bank of Montreal.
Braun also referred back to previous comments, since the implementation of garbage and recycling bins in his regular panhandling spot.
“They’re still causing an obstruction there. They can’t call me an obstruction. I’m sitting in front of their obstruction.”