A group of citizens is taking down homeless camps in Maple Ridge, hauling tents and other materials to the dump, and metal 害羞草研究所� including bike parts 害羞草研究所� to the recycling depot.
Jamie Seip speaks for the group. He spoke last spring during the public protests of the low-barrier supportive housing shelter on Burnett Street. That housing complex just opened Tuesday.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e not displacing anybody,害羞草研究所� Seip said. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e cleaning up messes left behind. If it害羞草研究所檚 unoccupied, it害羞草研究所檚 gone.害羞草研究所�
Seip said they have cleaned up four tons of trash in six days, and noted 害羞草研究所渋t害羞草研究所檚 all out of pocket, and it害羞草研究所檚 all on our own time.害羞草研究所�
Seip maintains they are taking action where police and bylaws cannot.
害羞草研究所淕overnments tend to over-complicate things,害羞草研究所� said Seip.
害羞草研究所淚f the government did what we are doing, it would cost $300,000 for the pilot year.害羞草研究所�
They are not being heartless, said Seip, and explained he gave a homeless girl who had been stranded in Maple Ridge a ride back to her home town of Chilliwack. He drove another person to Port Coquitlam.
There have been no altercations. He has checked with RCMP and bylaws and has not been told to cease and desist, he added.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e had RCMP and bylaws literally high-fiving us,害羞草研究所� said Seip.
There have been a lot of positive and encouraging comments about the group害羞草研究所檚 work posted in social media.
The group checks the sites they have 害羞草研究所渃leared,害羞草研究所� which include a vacant lot on 228th Street, and a wooded area of 232nd Street and another near Glenwood elementary school, near Laity Street and 121st Avenue.
Chris Bossley, who was an advocate for the homeless people living at the Anita Place Tent City, has asked police to investigate.
害羞草研究所淭his ridiculous activity against people who are homeless is unacceptable as far as I害羞草研究所檓 concerned,害羞草研究所� she said.
害羞草研究所淏asically what they are doing is tearing down people害羞草研究所檚 homes 害羞草研究所π卟菅芯克鶟
Other detractors have called the group害羞草研究所檚 actions vigilantism and cruel in their social media posts. Bossley has complained to Ridge Meadows RCMP.
Police said they have no comment at this time.
Bossley said she would be at the Tuesday night meeting of Maple Ridge council to bring the matter to the city害羞草研究所檚 attention.
She fears the group害羞草研究所檚 activities will lead to violent confrontations.
害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 understand how people can take the law into their own hands, and there are no consequences,害羞草研究所� said Bossley. 害羞草研究所淭his has to be nipped in the bud.害羞草研究所�
If there is violence, it will not come from his group, said Seip.
害羞草研究所淲e are not going to hurt a soul,害羞草研究所� he said, adding the goal is to 害羞草研究所淥ne block at a time, make it a little better.害羞草研究所�
@NeilCorbett18
ncorbett@mapleridgenews.com
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