Residents who were forced out of a Vancouver homeless encampment will be allowed back in this week after the city finished cleaning up the site.
The City of Vancouver says in a statement that residents can go back to the designated area at CRAB Park starting Thursday, after workers took away over 90,000 kilograms of debris and material, 20 propane tanks, and six generators.
The city has marked each nine-metre-squared shelter site for the 27 residents who moved and has put fresh gravel down to improve drainage and prevent muddy conditions.
The city announced plans to remove structures and clean the area last month, citing health and safety concerns that required residents to temporarily move to a different area of the park.
The statement says that funding from B.C. Housing is being provided for new tents and canopies, along with supplies for communal areas such as an area for food storage and preparation, donation storage, and a gathering space.
Advocates opposed the city’s decision to clean the encampment and urged officials not to destroy any structures, allowing park residents to lead the cleanup themselves.
The CRAB Park encampment started in 2021 and remained in place a year later when a B.C. Supreme Court judge set aside eviction notices, partly because the city didn’t have enough indoor shelter spaces to accommodate those living in tents.
Related
- Vancouver firefighters are fighting a motor-home fire near CRAB Park
- City continues with cleanup of CRAB Park camp
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