The head of a local community association praises plans to prevent overnight camping in certain parks, but hopes Saanich will also enforce the pending prohibition.
B次元官网网址淲e are very pleased,B次元官网网址� said Gabe Epstein, president of the Gorge-Tillicum Community Association, when asked about plans by Saanich to change its parks management and control bylaw.
The proposed changes officially codify the rights of homeless individuals to camp in public places, if shelters are unavailable as per a previous court ruling, but also prohibit overnight camping in Cuthbert Holmes Park among other parks and public facilities in Saanich in following comparable legislation in the City of Victoria.
Saanich, in other words, proposes a double move: align its bylaw with an existing court ruling, but also limit the spaces, where homeless individuals can camp.
The proposed bylaw changes identify environmentally sensitive areas, playgrounds, sports facilities, as well parks zoned natural park (P4N) and conservation park (P5) as areas off-limit to what the bylaw calls temporary overnight sheltering. This language would not only include Cuthbert Holmes Park, but also Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary and RithetB次元官网网址檚 Bog Nature Sanctuary.
But if this list applies to large parts of Saanich, no neighbourhood appears more pleased than the Gorge-Tillicum area, where residents living near Cuthbert Holmes Park have long complained that individuals B次元官网网址� some homeless, some not B次元官网网址� have damaged the park through their various activities, while creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
Pending any surprises, council will give the proposed amendments three readings Monday, with ratification to follow at a later date.
For Epstein, the next step will be to enforce the coming prohibition on overnight camping in Cuthbert Holmes Park.
B次元官网网址淚t will take on-going vigilance by police and parks staff, and that they will keep an eye on the park,B次元官网网址� he said.
Saanich initiated those changes at the time to discourage permanent settlements in Cuthbert Holmes Park, while tolerating overnight camping, which remains for now technically illegal.
Under the earlier amendments, Saanich police had the authority to ask overnight campers to leave their campsites the next morning. At the same time, staff had said at the time that they were not looking to impact individuals, who were B次元官网网址渕erely seeking temporary overnight shelter.B次元官网网址�
Saanich, in other words, wanted to crack down on more permanent settlements, without wanting to appear punitive towards individuals who might be genuinely homeless B次元官网网址� a distinction difficult to enforce, as police conceded at the time. The pending changes appear to have abandoned this distinction and appear as an escalation.
The prohibition, if approved, would not apply to Regina Park, the current site of an encampment of more than 70 tents, as the park bears the zoning of P4 B次元官网网址� Recreation and Open Space. Saanich continues to search for a solution to their presence following a special council meeting Thursday. According to Coun. Colin Plant, it drew 28 speakers and about 100 people.
The Saanich B次元官网网址, for the record, lies opposite of the Saanich-owned building.
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