A hand drill, a handsaw, a few dozen zap straps and an old plastic pipe pulled from a dumpster is all Tim needs to construct a dome out of sticks.
The former Calgary resident built one of the domes, about seven feet high and 12 feet wide, The dome is an art installation but is also big enough to erect a tent inside, or just to tarp over and use as a sheltered outdoor space.
To build the dome, however, he needed batteries for his drill. And to buy the batteries, he needed money ($1.75), which he thought he found in a fountain at Uptown. That led to a conversation with a security guard, which led to Saanich Police officers visiting him at Regina Park to arrest him, and serve him with a charge of theft under $5,000 and a court date for Aug. 27.
B次元官网网址淭he security guard told me the money was for charity,B次元官网网址� Tim said. B次元官网网址淚 told him I was trying to build an art space for the community here [at Camp Namegans] which was a mistake, if I didnB次元官网网址檛 say that I wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have been arrested.B次元官网网址�
Tim lives a nomadic life and has a free spirit with a philosophy you wonB次元官网网址檛 find in text books. He calls himself a B次元官网网址渟alvage bard,B次元官网网址� restoring things people throw in dumpsters or leave on the side of the road, and selling them for money. He only recently came to Camp Namegans and has his next destination in mind. But heB次元官网网址檚 now unsure about travelling since as has to be in Victoria for an Aug. 27 court date.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not a criminal, I donB次元官网网址檛 have a criminal record,B次元官网网址� Tim said. B次元官网网址淣ow I donB次元官网网址檛 know if IB次元官网网址檒l be able to travel. I wasnB次元官网网址檛 going to stay in Victoria all summer, but if I miss that then IB次元官网网址檒l be in worse trouble. This is really stupid.B次元官网网址�
Saanich Police confirmed a 34-year-old male was arrested for taking money out of the fountain at Uptown on July 15 but canB次元官网网址檛 name the suspect.
B次元官网网址淧atrol officers attended and Uptown security advised they were the lawful owners of the money which they donate to local charities,B次元官网网址� said Sgt. Jereme Leslie. B次元官网网址淚t also said that Uptown Security gave him the opportunity to put the money back, however, he refused.B次元官网网址�
In the meantime, Tim will travel up-Island but expects to be back next month to deal with his court date.
Another Camp Namegans resident, Ryan Williams, said he also feels targeted by the community because he lives in a tent city. HeB次元官网网址檚 been in the area for 20 years B次元官网网址� mostly in a house B次元官网网址� but arrived at the tent city on May 1, when he was forcibly removed from a nearby home he was paying rent to live in, he said.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a stigma, people think weB次元官网网址檙e going to do something wrong,B次元官网网址� Williams said. B次元官网网址淧eople driving by honk at us and call us names. The other day I was talking to an officer and a woman came by to say other neighbours are putting their garbage out front of their houses hoping that we would pick it up and bring it here.
B次元官网网址淎nother day I was resting at Harriet and Boleskine letting my dog cool down and I was told by an officer to move on before (the city) got a call.B次元官网网址�
Saanich Police, for their part, said theyB次元官网网址檙e doing their job and that there has been an increase in reports from the area.
To date, Camp Namegans has been served a notice of unauthorized occupation by both the District of Saanich and the Ministry of Transportation, as Regina Park falls under both jurisdictions.
