Barring up businesses in downtown Kelowna

Metal gates are going up in front of the doorways and alcoves of several businesses in downtown Kelowna.

Business owners in the first few blocks of Leon Ave. near City Park say people are congregating in the sheltered doorways to smoke, use drugs, eat, sleep and even defecate.

While the city has bylaws to keep people from camping out on sidewalks or on private property, even when the problematic people move on, they often leave a huge mess behind.

Frustrated business owners have put gates up to help prevent illicit activity in the doorways, while other long time tenants have hired security companies to keep transients from congregating.

Global News filmed numerous drug transactions and drug consumption taking place in broad daylight this summer at the main doors to our offices.