While the B.C. Supreme Court has ruled a complete ban on overnight sheltering in parks violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, it is still possible to forbid homeless camps on a site-by-site basis, one B.C. community has determined.
In Langley City, a second site is about to become off-limits, with overnight camping banned in Rotary Centennial Park off 208th Street and Fraser Highway.
A proposed ban was given preliminary approval by council during their June 10 meeting, who passed it unanimously with no discussion.
After the high court ruled against a ban on overnight sheltering in parks, a number of municipalities adopted bylaws that allow camping in parks, but set limits on how long individuals may use the parks for overnight stays, as well as prohibiting overnight stays in specific parks that are determined to be B次元官网网址渋nappropriateB次元官网网址� for that purpose.
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When Langley City council banned overnight camping in Douglas Park last year, it noted the park was next to a school.
In the case of Rotary Centennial Park, issues cited include the parkB次元官网网址檚 proximity to high density housing B次元官网网址渋ncluding low-income families with children who play in the parkB次元官网网址� as well as the large number of Syrian refugees who live in the neighbourhood and are described as B次元官网网址渧ulnerable with limited English language skills.B次元官网网址�
It was welcome news to those who use or live near Rotary, but one of the people who camp there said the ban will mean one less safe place for her to sleep at night.
Josey, who did not want to give her last name, said Rotary was a preferred place to camp because it is away from traffic, which meant homeless were less likely to attract unwelcome attention.
She has been evicted from the park more than once.
B次元官网网址淎nywhere thereB次元官网网址檚 any kind of popular gathering place [for homeless] they will ban it,B次元官网网址� Josey said.
Rather than moving homeless people around by imposing camping bans, she would like to have a place where camping is allowed.
B次元官网网址淭ell us where to go and weB次元官网网址檒l go there,B次元官网网址� Josey said.
Josey gave her age as 61 and estimated she has been homeless for four years.
B次元官网网址淚 was a businessperson,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淸Now] all I do every day is move my stuff and try to stay ahead of the bylaw [officers],B次元官网网址� Josey related.
B次元官网网址淭he average person is just one paycheque away from where I am.B次元官网网址�
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Doreen Mercer, a disabled woman in a wheelchair whose apartment faces the park, said she has made as many as 80 calls in a year about bad behaviour by homeless people.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got one guy who comes around here and he trips out something fierce,B次元官网网址� Mercer recounted.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e seen him do a strip tease and run around naked. WeB次元官网网址檝e got kids here. They donB次元官网网址檛 need to see it.B次元官网网址�
Mercer said her husband, who is blind, uses the park every day and she acts as his spotter, telling him where the homeless are so he can avoid them.
B次元官网网址淗e almost tripped over a lady who was crashed on the sidewalk,B次元官网网址� Mercer described.
A hypodermic syringe has been found in the childrenB次元官网网址檚 play park, and the public bathroom has been closed, with massive concrete blocks installed in front of the doors, because homeless people were sleeping in it, she said.
A water fountain was taken out, and residents of her housing complex have had their garbage gone through with waste strewn all over.
B次元官网网址淚 realize theyB次元官网网址檝e got to have somewhere to stay,B次元官网网址� Mercer continued.
B次元官网网址淕et a big hunk of land, fence it off, put in a picnic shelter, cement benches and tables and let them have their tents out there.B次元官网网址�
Peter Sinclair, a park regular, said the homeless havenB次元官网网址檛 bothered him, but their numbers can be substantial.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e seen, like, 20 of them. They got their little pup tents. The police will shoo them away, then, two days later, theyB次元官网网址檙e back,B次元官网网址� Sinclair related.
B次元官网网址淵ou do see some needles occasionally.B次元官网网址�
Isaac Dobal, who lives nearby, said he often sees campers sleeping in the park when he walks through it on his way to work in the morning.
He hasnB次元官网网址檛 had any problems.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e always good,B次元官网网址� Dobal noted.
B次元官网网址淚 personally think if theyB次元官网网址檙e not littering, if theyB次元官网网址檙e not bothering anybody or making noise [thereB次元官网网址檚 no reason to move them].B次元官网网址�
Another park regular, Dennis St. Pierre said he has B次元官网网址渘o problemsB次元官网网址� with the homeless, but he does look carefully before he sits on the grass to avoid needles.
A mother with young children, who lives near the park, reported finding needles and drug paraphernalia.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not anti-homeless, just anti-drugs in the park where children are playing,B次元官网网址� said the woman, who asked not to be identified.
B次元官网网址淣ot all homeless are malicious, but you canB次元官网网址檛 pick and choose.B次元官网网址�
A second mom was pleased to hear about the impending ban.
B次元官网网址淭hat would be great,B次元官网网址� said the woman, who also insisted on remaining anonymous.
B次元官网网址淢y five-year-old found a needle,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淚 feel bad for the homeless people, but I donB次元官网网址檛 want it here.B次元官网网址�
A visitor who often babysits her grandchildren said she can hear them yelling at night, but during the day she has witnessed others trying to tidy up.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 one homeless guy with a dog, who is out here cleaning up,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 such a sweet man.B次元官网网址�
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Francis Cheung, Langley City chief administrative officer, said the costs of homelessness to the City, in terms of cleanups, repairs and other expenses is B次元官网网址渟till quite significant.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e have, unfortunately, seen an increase in the number of homeless people in the community,B次元官网网址� Cheung said.
In a report to council, City community safety manager Dave Selvage said in 2018, the City spent $85,000 on homeless-related costs. In the first three months of 2019, it spent nearly $14,000.
According to the 2017 homeless count, 206 homeless people were living in the Langley area.
Selvage said the current number is likely higher by 50 to 100 people.
Last year, there was a jump in the number of reports to the City about homeless people, from a little more than 2,700 in 2017, to a little more than 4,000 in 2018.
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Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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