There’s a sense of calm in the air, for residents living along Springfield Road after a notorious property was boarded up.
For some, this means the ‘nightmare’ is over.
In the recent past, illegal activity at the home at 3054 Springfield Road has warranted the presence of police.
In July of this year, RCMP seized $10,000 in stolen property, including bicycles, power tools and other equipment. A quantity of drugs and money was also seized. Nine people were arrested and subsequently released.
READ MORE: Police seize $10K in stolen property from Springfield Road home
“It’s been a nightmare until recently when the house was boarded,” said neighbour Sharlene Drohomereski outside her home on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
From a large increase in theft to overdoses in their driveway and verbal threats, activities next door have taken a toll on the Drohomereski’s.
“Everybody pretty much in the neighbourhood has had issues with some of the people who live there… there were a number of transients going in and out, at one point I counted 20,” she said, describing the non-stop foot and vehicle traffic to and from the home.
The family has lived next door for about five years, but say in the past year things have gotten ‘drastically’ worse. Even newspaper delivery to their address has stopped. Drohomereski said the parents of the carrier refused to let them deliver to that side of the street, due to fear of their child’s safety. Also, she said a nearby neighbour refused to let their child play outside for similar reasons.
“We had one gentleman who came right into our yard, my husband was sitting by our door, and he walked right up to him and got right up in his face and said ‘I could crack your f—ing skull if I had the opportunity’,” said Drohomereski, adding that the same individual later threatened to burn down their home with them inside it.
She said her family is fortunate to be older in age and willing to stand up for themselves. If they had small kids, Drohomereski said she would be afraid to speak out.
Around the end of August, she recalled seeing the home being boarded up, something which came as a huge relief to her and her family.
“It’s quieter,” she said laughing. Other than the odd person showing up, she said traffic to and from the house has stopped.
Now that the house is boarded up, the family is starting to feel safe again. However, Drohomereski said it can get better. She said she would like to see houses like this dealt with faster, “so that neighbourhoods don’t have to suffer like we have in our neighbourhood.”
Constantly being threatened is something she said nobody should have to live with.
“It’s scary to think that you can’t be safe in your own yard. And that should not be the way it is, at all,” she said.
The Capital News has reached out to Kelowna RCMP for further information on the shuttering of 3054 Springfield Road.
READ MORE: Charges recommended for Kelowna Mountie investigated in shooting
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: phil.mclachlan@kelownacapnews.com
@newspaperphil
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.