PORT COQUITLAM, B.C. – Playgrounds are supposed to be a place where kids can have fun and run around, but for one Port Coquitlam daycare, a nearby park may end up being off limits.
“My biggest fear is they’ll get hurt.”
Area residents also say they’ve noticed a change in their neighbourhood, since a shelter opened up on Gordon Avenue in December.
Businesses say they’ve had trouble, too. One worker at a nearby vape shop say it’s been broken into twice since the shelter opened, once losing $36,000 worth of e-juice. Other merchants say they’ve been barraged with loiterers.
Jespersen is tired of having people threaten her safety. After a particularly spirited encounter with one homeless person in the area, she reached out to Global News for help.
“Who’s stopping them? If the people who are working there aren’t stopping them and making sure they’re not doing these things in our area, what’s the point? It’s not helping them.”
RainCity Housing operates the new shelter, located in Coquitlam off Westwood Street, along the boundary with Port Coquitlam. It offers temporary shelter beds and longer transitional housing.
“It’s a good location and we have to keep working with the community to reduce complaints.”
Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart says he’s trying to fix the problem. “I want the shelter to do a better job of managing the impact.”
Coquitlam RCMP say they’ve responded to some concerns and calls about homeless people, but point out there hasn’t been a significant increase in complaints since the shelter opened. RCMP also state they’ve beefed up their presence in the area to maintain a relationship with the shelter’s clients, and to let the community know officers are around.
For Harry Spinks, who has lived in north Port Coquitlam for 29 years, the shelter’s location isn’t ideal, but realizes homeless people need somewhere to go. Jespersen says she agrees, but says more needs to be done to protect area residents, especially children.