The Vancouver Park Board has called a special meeting to address concerns about an ongoing homeless encampment in Oppenheimer Park.
It comes after two Non-Partisan Association (NPA) park commissioners called for the sit down to address “deteriorating conditions” in the park.
That call came a day after Deputy Chief Const. Howard Chow of the Vancouver police affirmed support for a court injunction to clear the park, and spoke of a “direct nexus” between the camp and escalating violence in the Downtown Eastside.
The NPA commissioners say they want to hear reports from Vancouver’s city manager on the costs the enduring camp are imposing on the city’s finances, along with updated housing options available to campers.
They also want to hear from Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer on growing crime issues police say are associated with the park.
And they want a presentation from Vancouver’s fire chief on health and safety issues in the park.
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“I think we’re seeing a deteriorating situation at Oppenheimer Park over these last number of weeks,” said NPA commissioner John Coupar.
“We’ve heard from the VPD that Oppenheimer Park has become a hub for criminal activity and I really think it’s time that the Park Board needs to step up and move forward with some solution and just asking for a task force, I don’t believe is the solution.”
Coupar was referring to a call from Park Board Chair Stewart Mackinnon earlier this month for a “multi-jurisdictional task force” to address the homelessness issues associated with the park.
The park board has so far resisted going to court to get an injunction, while Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart has maintained he wants jurisdiction over the park temporarily transferred to the city.
Speaking on the Lynda Steele Show Tuesday, Park Board Chair Stuart MacKinnon acknowledged it is dangerous on the Downtown Eastside, but said that’s been the case for years.
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“The police had no correlation directly between Oppenheimer and what happened on Hastings Street. But you know I don’t doubt that the number of people in Oppenheimer is is feeding what’s going on down there,” said MacKinnon.
READ MORE: Police concerned over increased weapons, gang activity in Oppenheimer Park
But MacKinnon said getting an injunction would do nothing but push already homeless people back onto the streets.
“We continue to work with the city. We continue to work towards finding housing and finding a solution to the people in the park,” he said.
MacKinnon said he was slated to meet with Mayor Stuart on Wednesday to look for a path forward.
The Oppenheimer tent city grew to more than 200 campers over the summer.
In August, the bulk of those campers moved into single room occupancy (SRO) hotel housing, but many remained and accused the city of not doing enough to provide housing options.
The number of campers in the parks has since begun to grow again, and police say the camp is acting as a “magnet” for criminal elements, while tying up police resources needed in the DTES and elsewhere in the city.
Fiona York with the Carnegie Community Action Project said the reality for many people in the camp is that being in Oppenheimer park is safer than sleeping on the street or being in a shelter.
York said the camp holds weekly safety meetings, with a standing invitation to the Vancouver police to attend.
WATCH (Sept. 20, 2019): Growing safety concerns about Oppenheimer Park tent city
“It seems like there may be some lines or allegations being drawn that if you examine them they may be talking about things that are happening extraneous to the park,” said York.
“But there seems to be this real focus and attention on the park right now.”
However, York said she was open to the NPA’s suggested special meeting, saying campers and their advocates had been seeking to get in a room with key decision makers for some time.
“We’re not averse to having dialogues and conversations,” she said.
“It’s always good to get things aired out and talk about some of the allegations and some of the issues, the impacts on people.”
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