Victor LaRock has been living in his RV for nearly 15 years. On Dec. 2, he and his neighbours living on Moraine Road in northeast Calgary were forced to relocate after the City of Calgary erected no parking signs.
In the weeks since, he has found a new spot to call home, but he questions why he was asked to move along, and not other groups of RVs and campers around the city.
“There was a total of eight RVs there,” LaRock said. “There are other locations that have 14 to 16 RV’s year-round.”
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When police and city crews cleared out LaRock and others, one city official said they had received 70 complaints from businesses and residents, and noted the city needed to go ahead with traffic control changes as well as other maintenance activities.
That didn’t make sense to LaRock, who says businesses told him they appreciated the 24-7 presence he and his neighbours provided.
“(The city) made it sound like they were putting up these massive safety things,” LaRock said. “I been there 10 years, I’d never even seen a fender bender.”
LaRock lives within his means, stretching an $800 Canadian Pension Plan disability benefit he receives as far as he can. Unable to work, living in his RV is his best option.
“If I could find a spot where I can live alone, and be left alone … live in an apartment or a house or something like that … absolutely I’d take it,” LaRock said.
Global News reached out to the City of Calgary for comment but it was unable to provide a comment on Saturday.
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