While the B.C. Supreme Court has ruled a complete ban on overnight sheltering in parks violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, it is still possible to forbid homeless camps on a site-by-site basis, one B.C. community has determined.
In Langley City, a second site is about to become off-limits, with overnight camping banned in Rotary Centennial Park off 208th Street and Fraser Highway.
A proposed ban was given preliminary approval by council during their June 10 meeting, who passed it unanimously with no discussion.
After the high court ruled against a ban on overnight sheltering in parks, a number of municipalities adopted bylaws that allow camping in parks, but set limits on how long individuals may use the parks for overnight stays, as well as prohibiting overnight stays in specific parks that are determined to be 91裸聊视频渋nappropriate91裸聊视频� for that purpose.
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When Langley City council banned overnight camping in Douglas Park last year, it noted the park was next to a school.
In the case of Rotary Centennial Park, issues cited include the park91裸聊视频檚 proximity to high density housing 91裸聊视频渋ncluding low-income families with children who play in the park91裸聊视频� as well as the large number of Syrian refugees who live in the neighbourhood and are described as 91裸聊视频渧ulnerable with limited English language skills.91裸聊视频�
It was welcome news to those who use or live near Rotary, but one of the people who camp there said the ban will mean one less safe place for her to sleep at night.
Josey, who did not want to give her last name, said Rotary was a preferred place to camp because it is away from traffic, which meant homeless were less likely to attract unwelcome attention.
She has been evicted from the park more than once.
91裸聊视频淎nywhere there91裸聊视频檚 any kind of popular gathering place [for homeless] they will ban it,91裸聊视频� Josey said.
Rather than moving homeless people around by imposing camping bans, she would like to have a place where camping is allowed.
91裸聊视频淭ell us where to go and we91裸聊视频檒l go there,91裸聊视频� Josey said.
Josey gave her age as 61 and estimated she has been homeless for four years.
91裸聊视频淚 was a businessperson,91裸聊视频� she said.
91裸聊视频淸Now] all I do every day is move my stuff and try to stay ahead of the bylaw [officers],91裸聊视频� Josey related.
91裸聊视频淭he average person is just one paycheque away from where I am.91裸聊视频�
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Doreen Mercer, a disabled woman in a wheelchair whose apartment faces the park, said she has made as many as 80 calls in a year about bad behaviour by homeless people.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e got one guy who comes around here and he trips out something fierce,91裸聊视频� Mercer recounted.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e seen him do a strip tease and run around naked. We91裸聊视频檝e got kids here. They don91裸聊视频檛 need to see it.91裸聊视频�
Mercer said her husband, who is blind, uses the park every day and she acts as his spotter, telling him where the homeless are so he can avoid them.
91裸聊视频淗e almost tripped over a lady who was crashed on the sidewalk,91裸聊视频� Mercer described.
A hypodermic syringe has been found in the children91裸聊视频檚 play park, and the public bathroom has been closed, with massive concrete blocks installed in front of the doors, because homeless people were sleeping in it, she said.
A water fountain was taken out, and residents of her housing complex have had their garbage gone through with waste strewn all over.
91裸聊视频淚 realize they91裸聊视频檝e got to have somewhere to stay,91裸聊视频� Mercer continued.
91裸聊视频淕et a big hunk of land, fence it off, put in a picnic shelter, cement benches and tables and let them have their tents out there.91裸聊视频�
Peter Sinclair, a park regular, said the homeless haven91裸聊视频檛 bothered him, but their numbers can be substantial.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e seen, like, 20 of them. They got their little pup tents. The police will shoo them away, then, two days later, they91裸聊视频檙e back,91裸聊视频� Sinclair related.
91裸聊视频淵ou do see some needles occasionally.91裸聊视频�
Isaac Dobal, who lives nearby, said he often sees campers sleeping in the park when he walks through it on his way to work in the morning.
He hasn91裸聊视频檛 had any problems.
91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e always good,91裸聊视频� Dobal noted.
91裸聊视频淚 personally think if they91裸聊视频檙e not littering, if they91裸聊视频檙e not bothering anybody or making noise [there91裸聊视频檚 no reason to move them].91裸聊视频�
Another park regular, Dennis St. Pierre said he has 91裸聊视频渘o problems91裸聊视频� with the homeless, but he does look carefully before he sits on the grass to avoid needles.
A mother with young children, who lives near the park, reported finding needles and drug paraphernalia.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 not anti-homeless, just anti-drugs in the park where children are playing,91裸聊视频� said the woman, who asked not to be identified.
91裸聊视频淣ot all homeless are malicious, but you can91裸聊视频檛 pick and choose.91裸聊视频�
A second mom was pleased to hear about the impending ban.
91裸聊视频淭hat would be great,91裸聊视频� said the woman, who also insisted on remaining anonymous.
91裸聊视频淢y five-year-old found a needle,91裸聊视频� she said.
91裸聊视频淚 feel bad for the homeless people, but I don91裸聊视频檛 want it here.91裸聊视频�
A visitor who often babysits her grandchildren said she can hear them yelling at night, but during the day she has witnessed others trying to tidy up.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 one homeless guy with a dog, who is out here cleaning up,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 such a sweet man.91裸聊视频�
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Francis Cheung, Langley City chief administrative officer, said the costs of homelessness to the City, in terms of cleanups, repairs and other expenses is 91裸聊视频渟till quite significant.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淲e have, unfortunately, seen an increase in the number of homeless people in the community,91裸聊视频� Cheung said.
In a report to council, City community safety manager Dave Selvage said in 2018, the City spent $85,000 on homeless-related costs. In the first three months of 2019, it spent nearly $14,000.
According to the 2017 homeless count, 206 homeless people were living in the Langley area.
Selvage said the current number is likely higher by 50 to 100 people.
Last year, there was a jump in the number of reports to the City about homeless people, from a little more than 2,700 in 2017, to a little more than 4,000 in 2018.
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Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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