Backhoes, city workers and police moved in Monday morning to disassemble Discontent City.
The downtown Nanaimo homeless camp has seen most of its residents moved to temporary supportive housing on Terminal Avenue and Labieux Road as the former tent city site was sealed off to all but city workers and police. Anyone else entering could be arrested for trespassing and police did arrest one person who entered the property.
RCMP Insp. Lisa Fletcher, one of the police officers overseeing the operation, said she considered just a single arrest a success by the city working with the community.
While the majority of residents have found city-sanctioned shelter, others who were not awarded space in supportive housing pitched tents, at least temporarily, on the outer perimeter of 1 Port Drive while they contemplated where they could go.
However, time to move on is growing short for those camped outside the former tent city site. Dave Laberge, city manager of community safety, said encampments outside the fence at 1 Port Drive would also be cleared by the city, but did not say how soon.
Damian Gallant, 24, and Elissa Fawdry, 17, were among those not awarded temporary housing. Their possessions were stacked in Rubbermaid containers next to the fence as they contemplated their next move. Fawdry said itB次元官网网址檚 likely they were not provided housing because at 17 sheB次元官网网址檚 a minor. The couple had been living at Discontent City for about three and a half months. Fawdry said they lost their last rental unity on Haliburton Street when their landlord sold her property.
B次元官网网址淲e have all our stuff here and we donB次元官网网址檛 know where to go,B次元官网网址� Gallant said. B次元官网网址淲e just couldnB次元官网网址檛 find any affordable housing.B次元官网网址�
Dominic Flanagan, executive director of B.C. Housing, said on the first day of move-ins at the Labieux site, Nov. 30, that everybody who was at Discontent City experiencing homelessness would be offered housing or a shelter space.
B次元官网网址淲e recognize that more work needs to be done,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd as the homeless count showed, the number of people who are experiencing homelessness here in Nanaimo well exceeds 300. So we need to do more. [Temporary supportive housing] is an important, significant first step, but the work continues.B次元官网网址�
Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog said at a press conference Monday that if people insisted on staying at the Discontent City site they could be arrested.
B次元官网网址淥bviously if people insist on staying at that site, there is a court order and I expect the RCMP to enforce the court order and hopefully it wonB次元官网网址檛 come to that,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淭he other reality is there are people sleeping in our parks around this community, sleeping in wooded areas, literally camping through the winter. The good news, as everyone knows, further shelter beds at St. Peters Catholic Church, that will be helpful B次元官网网址� Shelter beds are a help, but they are not a house. They are not a home.B次元官网网址�
Kevin Gartner is one of the residents who has been provided housing and is happy with the way the city has handled Discontent City.
B次元官网网址淭his sets some sort of precedence for the homeless, I think, so we should see some good things right across Canada, right?B次元官网网址� Gartner said. B次元官网网址淚 was here for about three or four months and they fed us and did everything they could.B次元官网网址�
According to B.C. Housing, 155 people experiencing homelessness at Labieux and at Terminal Avenue.
Discontent City in Nanaimo is being cleared away this morning as most of its residents move to supportive housing. Police and city workers only are allowed on property. All others face arrest. One man arrested for trespassing.
B次元官网网址� Chris Bush (@ChrisBushphotog)
Discontent City in Nanaimo is being cleared away this morning as most of its residents move to supportive housing. Police and city workers only are allowed on property. All others face arrest. One man arrested for trespassing.
B次元官网网址� Chris Bush (@ChrisBushphotog)
Discontent City in Nanaimo is being cleared away this morning as most of its residents move to supportive housing. Police and city workers only are allowed on property. All others face arrest. One man arrested for trespassing.
B次元官网网址� Chris Bush (@ChrisBushphotog)
