Residents of Vancouver’s Oppenheimer Park say the Park Board has issued a new restriction on the amount of belongings that unhoused people living in the park are allowed to have.
They said this comes after an official opening for a new playground in the park was cancelled on Friday and residents believe the new restriction is related to that event.
Sarah Kirby-Yung, a Vancouver city councillor with ABC Vancouver, told Global News there has been no change to the park sheltering bylaw, which allows people to shelter in public parks overnight but all tents must be taken down by 7 a.m. the next day.
“There have been no changes to that whatsoever,” she said.
“What was supposed to be a fun, celebratory experience for residents in the Downtown Eastside of a brand new, upgraded playground — which is desperately needed — you have a neighbourhood that is deficient in park space, of amenities, shade and trees and honestly has some of the lowest incomes in the city and that space is desperately needed by communities… to suggest that opening a playground has anything to do with the park sheltering bylaw is completely false.”
In a statement to Global News, the Park Board said the playground had already opened to the community earlier this month and the celebration planned for Friday was intended to be a casual gathering to recognize the playground renewal.
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“Unfortunately, on Friday, we were not ready to hold the event because of a variety of unforeseen circumstances including the poor weather and unavailability of key staff,” the statement said.
“We are currently considering a potential new date for rescheduling the event.”
Area resident Marten Hill said on Monday there were lots of children using the playground over the weekend.
“We are not used to this… it feels like it will be a common thing here, which is good,” he said.
In a statement sent out on Friday, homeless activist Ryan Sudds said residents of Oppenheimer Park will be asking Vancouver Park Rangers to cease the escalation and any confiscation of belongings.
“Instead, they will be asking to meet with Amit Gandha, director of the Park Board to discuss a compromise that will allow residents to keep their belongings. They are asking for two weeks for these negotiations to take place.”
Sudds said they have not yet heard back from Gandha.
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