In a quiet corner on an end of Regina Park live five of the Camp Namegans tent city residents. These five are a little older, on average, than the rest of the camp population. Like many of the residents, theyB次元官网网址檙e new to being homeless.
Blair, 55, and Lynne, 38, are two of them. The couple was B次元官网网址榬eno-victedB次元官网网址� from their Victoria home in 2016. Both had lived in Victoria for at least 20 years. Yet despite their fixed incomes from disability (a little over $700 per month), the two were unable to acquire a new place (once they have a fixed address theyB次元官网网址檒l receive an additional $375 each, or $750 combined, towards rent). So the two checked into the shelter at Rock Bay Landing.
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B次元官网网址淭his is my first time homeless, until now I never had a problem finding a place,B次元官网网址� Blair said. B次元官网网址淭here seems to be an anti fixed-income attitude but it used to be the other way around. If you were on fixed income, [landlords] would say well, B次元官网网址榶ouB次元官网网址檙e not going lose your job,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� [landlords] used to look for people on fixed income.B次元官网网址�
At 55 and 38 the two arenB次元官网网址檛 exactly seniors but the health statistics grow steadily worse for people who live with chronic homelessness. B.C. Coroners data showed a life expectancy of just 40 to 49 years of age for people who experience chronic homelessness (according to Megaphone MagazineB次元官网网址檚 2016 report, Dying in the Streets). And while the couple believe this is only temporary, Lynne has met a lot of people in their 40s, 50s and 60s who are on disability and canB次元官网网址檛 afford a place, ending up in shelters.
In short, life is much better now than it was at Rock Bay Landing. The two were grateful to have a shelter roof over their head, but are happier in their current situation, which they believe is temporary.
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B次元官网网址淚n my first week at Rock Bay I had my ID and bank card stolen,B次元官网网址� she said.
Blair had his valuables disappear too.
B次元官网网址淚t is hard there,B次元官网网址� Lynne said. B次元官网网址淚t sucks you down mentally, physically and emotionally, it just drains you. I had enough, I had to leave.B次元官网网址�
On top of that, Blair and Lynne werenB次元官网网址檛 allowed to share a residence in the shelter. Lynne had moved into a transitional apartment on the fifth floor for $475 per month but Blair dared not visit. People at Rock Bay didnB次元官网网址檛 believe him, but he swears itB次元官网网址檚 the truth.
B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛,B次元官网网址� Blair said. B次元官网网址淚 would never do that to Lynne, she would have been at risk of getting kicked out. I think I made it up as far as the top floor of the elevator to kiss her goodnight but then went back down.B次元官网网址�
Blair ended up spending the rest of last year on a mat at Cool AidB次元官网网址檚 winter shelter. Earlier this year Blair found himself tenting with a pal, Mike, who is now his next door neighbour at Camp Namegans. Each morning theyB次元官网网址檇 pack up their tent at a park near Point Ellis Bridge and set it up again. They found their way to Regina Park two months ago and itB次元官网网址檚 been a respite from the stress of packing up every morning.
B次元官网网址淢ike works, and if youB次元官网网址檙e working, itB次元官网网址檚 an impossibility,B次元官网网址� Blair said.
At Camp Namegans Blair and Lynne reunited with Gordon, a 62-year-old carpenter they met through the shelter system. Gordon still works, and this is also his first summer being homeless.
B次元官网网址淚 had a room in a house but I got into an argument with the landlord, I can be a crusty old bastard,B次元官网网址� Gordon said. B次元官网网址淚 got kicked out, I had to send someone to get my things. IB次元官网网址檓 happy here. You have to have a place. Where are you going to put your stuff while you go to work? YouB次元官网网址檙e not going to show up with a backpack, a tent, a sleeping bag and dirty laundry.B次元官网网址�
With a small buffer of trees between them and the rest of the camp, the easy going trio are free to smoke and drink in relative privacy around their communal dinner table. They are very aware of the different stories at Regina Park, of the addictions some face, to the people who just need a place to leave their things while theyB次元官网网址檙e at work.
B次元官网网址淓verybody needs this place,B次元官网网址� Gordon said. B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 exclude people. Yes there are issues. Yes there are problems down [here]. But they still need space. They still need a place to liveB次元官网网址� a place to be as crazy as they want to be.B次元官网网址�
After a year of lobbying for a subsidized housing unit Blair and Lynne are told they are on the list with Pacifica Housing.
Gordon, meanwhile, is enjoying this new adventure, though heB次元官网网址檚 unsure what heB次元官网网址檒l do come winter.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 able to work, I do temp work. IB次元官网网址檓 not broke, but at the same time winter is going to come and sleeping outside isnB次元官网网址檛 [appealing],B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e are Canadian citizens who are homeless because of the economical situation. IB次元官网网址檝e been building houses and in construction for 40 years. I know itB次元官网网址檚 the price of land, itB次元官网网址檚 too many speculators sitting on land, or flipping it. How can people have the ability to pay those prices?B次元官网网址�
When Gordon first arrived, he wasnB次元官网网址檛 ready for Chrissy BrettB次元官网网址檚 instructions. She expected Gordon to B次元官网网址榮ign inB次元官网网址� and then camp near her at the entrance until she got to know him, he said.
B次元官网网址淟ike I said, IB次元官网网址檓 a crusty bastard, so we didnB次元官网网址檛 get along on that first day, but everything IB次元官网网址檝e seen her do, she does it right,B次元官网网址� Gordon said.
Eventually, if she can, Brett will pair people up in sections with others who are similar, Blair said.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 safe here. I havenB次元官网网址檛 had anything go missing [maybe a coffee pot],B次元官网网址� Blair added. B次元官网网址淔or the most part, for an anarchistic self-governing place, itB次元官网网址檚 pretty mellow here.B次元官网网址�
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