The city of Calgary has made good on its threat to remove long-term residents of RVs parked along Moraine Road northeast.
City crews moved in, along with police and tow trucks on the morning of Monday, Dec 2, 2024.
“They came in full force, an army, a cops army, a parking authority, and a little contingent of tow trucks. They’re forcing us out,” said Victor LaRock, who said he has lived in the area for more than a decade.
He and others claim they are forced to live in the RVs because they can’t afford the cost of rent or housing in Calgary.
LaRock has outfitted his motorhome with solar panels, wind power, a wood stove and other comforts of home.
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It’s even the address on his drivers license.
The RV owners fight with the city came to a head earlier this fall when the city dropped off notices telling residents they’d have to move.
They were eventually given a one month reprieve, but those permits expired on Nov. 21.
On Sunday, the city began putting up no-parking signs.
Troy McLeod, the city of Calgary’s director of mobility, told Global News that most of the vehicles had been moved voluntarily by their owners when the city arrived on Monday.
However, McLeod said there were also “four abandoned vehicles, including one abandoned RV as well as an abandoned cargo van and two abandoned vehicles,” that were towed away. Those vehicles “would be impounded.”
“There are still a couple RV (owners) left that need support to be able to move their vehicles,” added McLeod, and the city is waiting for them to do that.
However, he said “no tickets will be issued.”
McLeod said the city has been working with the RV owners for “quite a few months,” trying to find a solution, and in some cases, alternative sources of accommodation. He also said the city needed to clear the area so the city could go ahead with “traffic control changes as well as other maintenance activity that’s required.”
The city has “received 70 complaints from the local businesses and residents, mostly due to access and security,” McLeod added.
However, LaRock insists his presence has added security to the neighbourhood because his motorhome is outfitted with surveillance cameras.
Asked what his plans are now, LaRock said, “right now what we’re doing is we’re going to move to a temporary staging spot, then we’re going to together find another location where we can set up a longer term setup like we had here.”
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