Campground users deserve better from Squamish council

The current van dweller crisis as it pertains to the district campground on Loggers Lane is really heart breaking.

Human to human, what is happening is wrong.

We cannot forsake the have-not’s because those who “have” deem their living situations to be inhumane. How can the DOS knowingly evict rent-paying citizens of this community, that too during a global pandemic and around Christmas?

To say that providing these people with a safe and winterized site is a great expense is simply ridiculous. It wouldn’t come close to $34k to do the bare minimum to winterize this site.

I work with multiple builders, designers, and contractors in the area and the cost to retrofit this site to DOS standards for a winterized site could be done quickly and cheaply.

These renters have been paying $200/month and there are at least 10 dwellers who would simply like to “stay put” over the winter – that’s $2k/month the DOS doesn’t want? or $12k for a 6 month period? Where does their rent money go? Why can’t it go back into making the campground better – for these users and others?

For an example of what a well done winterized site can procure revenue wise, we could take a que from Tofino’s recent Surf Grove campground. This could be a longer term goal for this site with a vision and quality implementation. Offering this option with Squamish’s always attractive destination potential only creates more tourism opp’s – and the van niche market isn’t going anywhere.

We are talking about humans.  We are talking about our community.

Here is my appeal to DOS council and officials: Please reconsider your stance, please listen to the people, please use your power, skills, and agency to take action for those who have little to no heard voice. If all we are talking about here is a way to make this option feasible for both user and landlord (DOS) I think we have enough local talent, expertise, and ability to take effective, safe, and dare I say, profitable initiative.

From the sounds of things, the alternatives DOS has mandated for many of these folks are not in line with their desires or way of living.  It’s great that those who wish to be housed traditionally have been connected with the resources they need.

It’s time now to focus on the folks who remain at the campground, and other vehicle residents who spend their days and nights playing cat-and-mouse with bylaw and RCMP on our public roadways.  These people belong in my community.

Your job, as our representatives, is to create a safe, legal, affordable space for people to live in their vehicles. This should be done with the full input and at the direction of the experts: the vehicle residents themselves.  They are experts of their own lives, they have been clear with what they need, and it isn’t much: a place to park that’s affordable, safe, and free from harassment.

You can do this, this community can do this. The game of exclusion via bylaws and trespassing proclamations has gone on for far too long. Let this be the moment the community sees our leadership rise to the occasion, not drop the ball.

I realize the campground was meant to be a temporary solution.  It was a great start.  Until there’s a legal, safe, affordable space created by the District for these people to live in their vehicles, we need to keep this band aid on.

Let’s give these people a Merry Christmas. Isn’t it the least we can do from the safety of our warm well appointed houses?

Jenn Hembruch is a long time Squamish resident and local business owner.