By Ian Holmes

Nanaimo City Hall campers move to park along Millstone River

Mar 21, 2018 | 5:55 PM

NANAIMO — A homeless encampment has formed at a downtown park after it was shut down at Nanaimo City Hall.

Several campers and some of the supplies from the tent city on the front lawn of City Hall relocated to Barsby Park near the Millstone River Wednesday afternoon. Campers moved on after the City handed out eviction notices on Tuesday.

One of the relocated campers, Mike Pinder, said he and several others plan to camp at Barsby Park for the time being.

“When we got involved with all of this in the beginning we were under the impression that when it was all set and done there would be some sort of housing put in place.”

Pinder was pleased to hear the City is funding various new homeless initiatives, but said immediate housing is needed.

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Director of public safety Karen Fry told NanaimoNewsNOW while camping is not allowed in City parks, people are allowed to use tents for shelter between 7 p.m. and 9 a.m. She said campers in parks will be asked to leave if public complaints are made about tent structures remaining up during daytime hours.

Fry noted City Hall encampment organizer Matt O’Donnell wanted permanent housing for the homeless, but said the City can’t offer that.

Fry said a yet-to-be established daytime drop-in centre recently approved by City Council would give homeless people somewhere to go during the day.

Campers became divided as the tent city on the lawn of City Hall dragged into its ninth day. One camper leaving the camp on Tuesday afternoon said the movement lost sight of the orginal goal.

Another camper reported several fights over the weekend and open drug use, while another claimed her tent was slashed with a knife.

At its peak there were as many as 25 tents on the front lawn of Nanaimo City Hall in protest of Council rejecting a controversial homeless housing complex in Chase River. Organizers said it was also designed to bring to light the serious issue of homelessness that existed in Nanaimo.

— with files from Dominic Abassi

ian@NanaimoNewsNow.com

On Twitter: @reporerholmes