Dallas Paulsen, who lives at the homeless camp in Nelson, says he has enough problems without people driving by and throwing rocks or worse.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e had bear bangers launched at us, and fireworks,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e had cars full of kids throwing rocks as they drive by, yelling out the windows.B次元官网网址�

Paulsen says diesel trucks drive up the road and, when passing the camp, blow their horns and rev their engines.

Lucy (which is not her real name, at her request) lives in the woods near the camp. She says itB次元官网网址檚 common to hear drivers screeching their tires in the middle of the night when she is trying to sleep.

B次元官网网址淥ne night they came and tried to knock over the outhouse (a portable toilet provided by the city),B次元官网网址� Lucy says.

But itB次元官网网址檚 not all bad, says Paulsen, because a few people are supportive, bringing pizza or sandwiches to the camp.

The encampment has been a fixture in the woods between Government Road and Highway 3A in the Kootenays town for several years, with a mix of tents, tarps, shopping carts, personal belongings, and large collections of bottles and cans.

Chris Johnson, the City of NelsonB次元官网网址檚 general manager of community planning, climate and infrastructure is the cityB次元官网网址檚 point person on issues related to homelessness. He wants people to be more respectful of the people living on Government Road.

He reports contractors dumping their construction garbage there. Someone dropped off an old freezer one day, he says.

In September, the city moved a group of about eight people out of a sheltered area they were occupying on Edgewood Avenue across Cedar Street from the Scout Hall.

Johnson says there were complaints from the residential neighbours about trespassing, noise, theft, and drug dealing, as well as break-ins and drug paraphernalia at the Scout Hall.

Asked if it was illegal to live in that public area on Edgewood, Johnson says, B次元官网网址淲e didnB次元官网网址檛 explore the legality. What we were concerned with was, when people are tying criminal things back to that location and the people staying there, then that becomes a bigger issue.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e reluctantly moved people along,B次元官网网址� Johnson adds, B次元官网网址渦nderstanding that thereB次元官网网址檚 not really a lot of better options for them currently.B次元官网网址�

Street outreach worker Jeremy Kelly says he and his colleagues helped the city with the eviction because the camp was not working for anyone. He said the occupants were given two weeks notice.

B次元官网网址淏asically they were told they had to leave, and they understood that. They knew it wasnB次元官网网址檛 working B次元官网网址� They just couldnB次元官网网址檛 abide by good neighbour policy. And the city turned a blind eye for a really long time B次元官网网址� but it got out of hand.B次元官网网址�

The street outreach workers told the Nelson Star that some of the campers from the Edgewood location may have moved to the Government Road location or to other locations in the city.

Winter shelter options

Where will people without homes in Nelson spend the winter?

There might be a limited number of beds at Stepping Stones, Kelly says, although many people are excluded from service there because of B次元官网网址渧arious acts of either violence or vandalism or threatening behaviour toward staff.B次元官网网址�

Nelson CARES executive director Jac Nobiss said her organization is in discussions with the Nelson Committee on Homelessness about shelter for homeless people in the coming winter, but location and staffing are two obstacles.

Another possibility is 12 emergency weather beds B次元官网网址� sleeping mats on the floor with coffee in the morning B次元官网网址� available between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., which last year were located at the St. SaviourB次元官网网址檚 Pro-Cathedral. Kelly says various agencies are now looking for a new location for those beds while faced with staffing shortages.

The Government Road camp is one possibility.

The city, assisted by the street outreach workers, have put considerable effort into that location over the summer, responding to fire risk, providing a toilet, collecting garbage, and doing the occasional cleanup.

Paulsen says he appreciates this, but said it has not always gone well. On one of the days the Nelson Star visited the camp, there was a heated discussion between Paulsen and a city worker who was there to prepare for a garbage pickup later in the day. Paulsen accused the city of taking things that were not garbage in a recent cleanup, including furniture. The city worker apologized and pointed out a specific area where the garbage should be placed so it could be identified as such.

The outreach workers returned to the camp later that day to assist with this process.

What the city actually wants, Johnson says, only the province can provide: housing, mental health support, addiction support, and recovery services, considering that most of the people living outside in Nelson are dealing with addiction and/or mental health issues.

He points out that the only two overdose prevention sites in the Kootenay-Boundary region are in Nelson. He wants to see a regional approach with various services spread across the region, not just one community.

Family abuse

Lucy says she has been homeless off and on for three years. She has a home in a rural community nearby, B次元官网网址渂ut itB次元官网网址檚 really abusive. So I run away and come here. IB次元官网网址檇 rather be homeless than live at home. B次元官网网址� I know a lot of girls who are in the same situation.B次元官网网址�

She has a tent a short distance from the camp, in the forest, but often visits the camp to eat and socialize. She says she doesnB次元官网网址檛 like to live inside the camp B次元官网网址渂ecause of the messB次元官网网址� and because there is a lot of theft.

Living off to the side as she does, she says the people in the camp treat her well and she feels like itB次元官网网址檚 a community.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 bad apples, of course. But you can sense which ones arenB次元官网网址檛 good to be around. And thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of drug use. I use drugs too, but IB次元官网网址檓 not on fentanyl. And itB次元官网网址檚 scary. For a lot of these people, I want to be around them to make sure that they donB次元官网网址檛 overdose.B次元官网网址�

Paulsen agrees there is a sense of community but it only goes so far.

B次元官网网址淎t the same time, if theyB次元官网网址檙e hurting and you have something shiny and expensive, chances are theyB次元官网网址檙e going to take it because they need dope.B次元官网网址�

Paulsen says almost everyone there does fentanyl, but he does crystal meth.

He thinks the city should provide housing and sanitation services for homeless people.

Lucy dismisses this idea, saying that until the residents clean up the camp themselves, no one will want to help them.

B次元官网网址淭he biggest beef I have is that itB次元官网网址檚 just destroyed, you know, thereB次元官网网址檚 garbage everywhere. Joe Blow down the street, when he comes by, heB次元官网网址檚 not going to say, B次元官网网址楬ey, let me help you.B次元官网网址� TheyB次元官网网址檙e not going to do that. Because theyB次元官网网址檙e angry. Nelson is a beautiful community.B次元官网网址�

Lucy has lived outside in the winter before and is prepared to do so again.

B次元官网网址淭he big one is staying dry and trying to keep warm, and not setting your tent on fire.B次元官网网址�

Paulsen has lived in Nelson for 10 years and been homeless for three, and has lived at Government Road for a year.

He worked at two different coffee shops in the region, became homeless when COVID-19 shut everything down, and was never able to get back on his feet.

B次元官网网址淚 like to make an honest living, and every time I just get pushed down, knocked around. Nothing ever works out for me.B次元官网网址�

Johnson says he grew up in Nelson and has known some of the people in the camps for much of his life. In his interview with the Nelson Star he often came back to his annoyance at the rock-throwing and other abuse by people driving by the Government Road site.

B次元官网网址淭reat them with respect,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 tell you how furious it makes me to hear some of that stuff that happens there.B次元官网网址�

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