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 害羞草研究所渋nappropriate害羞草研究所� 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 park害羞草研究所檚 proximity to high density housing 害羞草研究所渋ncluding low-income families with children who play in the park害羞草研究所� as well as the large number of Syrian refugees who live in the neighbourhood and are described as 害羞草研究所渧ulnerable with limited English language skills.害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淎nywhere there害羞草研究所檚 any kind of popular gathering place [for homeless] they will ban it,害羞草研究所� Josey said.
Rather than moving homeless people around by imposing camping bans, she would like to have a place where camping is allowed.
害羞草研究所淭ell us where to go and we害羞草研究所檒l go there,害羞草研究所� Josey said.
Josey gave her age as 61 and estimated she has been homeless for four years.
害羞草研究所淚 was a businessperson,害羞草研究所� she said.
害羞草研究所淸Now] all I do every day is move my stuff and try to stay ahead of the bylaw [officers],害羞草研究所� Josey related.
害羞草研究所淭he average person is just one paycheque away from where I am.害羞草研究所�
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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.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e got one guy who comes around here and he trips out something fierce,害羞草研究所� Mercer recounted.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e seen him do a strip tease and run around naked. We害羞草研究所檝e got kids here. They don害羞草研究所檛 need to see it.害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淗e almost tripped over a lady who was crashed on the sidewalk,害羞草研究所� Mercer described.
A hypodermic syringe has been found in the children害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淚 realize they害羞草研究所檝e got to have somewhere to stay,害羞草研究所� Mercer continued.
害羞草研究所淕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.害羞草研究所�
Peter Sinclair, a park regular, said the homeless haven害羞草研究所檛 bothered him, but their numbers can be substantial.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e seen, like, 20 of them. They got their little pup tents. The police will shoo them away, then, two days later, they害羞草研究所檙e back,害羞草研究所� Sinclair related.
害羞草研究所淵ou do see some needles occasionally.害羞草研究所�
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 hasn害羞草研究所檛 had any problems.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e always good,害羞草研究所� Dobal noted.
害羞草研究所淚 personally think if they害羞草研究所檙e not littering, if they害羞草研究所檙e not bothering anybody or making noise [there害羞草研究所檚 no reason to move them].害羞草研究所�
Another park regular, Dennis St. Pierre said he has 害羞草研究所渘o problems害羞草研究所� 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.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 not anti-homeless, just anti-drugs in the park where children are playing,害羞草研究所� said the woman, who asked not to be identified.
害羞草研究所淣ot all homeless are malicious, but you can害羞草研究所檛 pick and choose.害羞草研究所�
A second mom was pleased to hear about the impending ban.
害羞草研究所淭hat would be great,害羞草研究所� said the woman, who also insisted on remaining anonymous.
害羞草研究所淢y five-year-old found a needle,害羞草研究所� she said.
害羞草研究所淚 feel bad for the homeless people, but I don害羞草研究所檛 want it here.害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 one homeless guy with a dog, who is out here cleaning up,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 such a sweet man.害羞草研究所�
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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 害羞草研究所渟till quite significant.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淲e have, unfortunately, seen an increase in the number of homeless people in the community,害羞草研究所� 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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