Depot Park on Sundays Public Comment from Karlene Khor
As you may know, downtown is operating under holiday hours, which means stores and restaurants, which normally may not be open on Sundays, are now open for business on Sundays.
Depot Park on each Sunday has become a gathering place by the homeless for a free meal and hand out of clothing etc.
An individual operates this meal and hand out at Depot Park because she states no churches nor the Warming Center will allow her to do this at their venues on Sundays. She says she is
doing this now and will continue to do this each Sunday through April 2024.
I wondered how any person could book Depot Park with the City for each and every Sunday through April for this gathering of the homeless?
I have written to you in the past of the impact the homeless have had on downtown retail and how tourists frightened or scared came into my Shop and asked me if downtown Kalispell is
safe. I have had problems as other shops have had with the homeless disturbing our customers and trying to sleep in our doorways.
Even with outstanding efforts by the city to revitalize downtown downtown, businesses are still struggling downtown. It’s the heart of our city and it is historic beautiful downtown.
Still we really need to realize how badly the homeless impact downtown and the bottom line of the downtown stores. We are not Mission Street - we are historic Downtown Kalispell and
we are on life support.
Please is there some ordinance that could be drafted to prevent one person or one entity, or one function from securing the park every Sunday for months and months and months?
Thank you
Karlene Khor
La Lark Llc
Manager
Sent from my iPhone