The homeless will be allowed to erect temporary overnight tents or shelters in District of Squamish parks in Brackendale and Garibaldi Highlands area as well.
The earlier map released by the district with Blue and Red areas gave the impression that homeless can erect tents only in Downtown, Valleycliffe, Dentville, and North Yards.
However, in FAQs posted on the district website, the municipality has made it clear that all municipal parks within the district will allow homeless persons to erect temporary overnight shelters.
The camping bylaw applies to all parks, whether they be in the Blue Area or north of the Mamquam River.
“To be clear, homeless persons can erect shelters in any park within the District where the bylaw criteria allow, and not just in the Blue Area,” the district says.
However, a homeless person can’t erect a temporary shelter on a trail, a school, Municipal Hall, the Adventure Centre, a Parking Lot, Rose Park, Stan Clarke Park, Brennan Park.
A homeless can’t erect a tent in Red zone, which is the estuary and Mamquam Forest Service Road.
A tent can’t be erected within 20 metres of any permanent structure, building, skateboard park, playground, or playing field, and the homeless must also vacate the tent by 9 am with all belongings and not return to the same location the next night.
The Red Area on the map was introduced in 2019, and identifies “no-go” zones where no-one is allowed to camp or shelter overnight with a temporary shelter. These include the Estuary and the Mamquam Forest Service Road.
The recently created Blue Area are the southern neighborhoods of Squamish where district says it has had the highest volume of impacts from seasonal visitor camping.
District says bylaw can ‘clearly differentiate’ between the homeless and other campers.
Sally says
Who is going to monitor this? The Councilors? Who is going to determine who was where the night before. This is absolutely absurd !!!!
Tom says
Who is going to enforce this? Bylaw can’t enforce the things they are supposed as is. Your going to have homeless people camping where neighborhood children like to play. This is the most ridiculous idea ever!!!
Alex says
Trim,
Maybe it’s time our children saw with their own eyes the difficulties of being homeless.
Scott says
Be nice for those who spent spent 1-1.7 Million for a home and pay large taxes to see this view.
T says
Of it is fine to have them camping in our parks why can’t they camp at the adventure center or municipal Hall? Or is that too close the the mayor and councilors?
Rev says
Squamish counsel fails everyone yet again. These people are insane. Honestly lets all set up camp outside muni hall! Doubt anyone would notice not like they are actually ever there.
Rev says
Also whats considered homeless??? Because 90% of the people camping out in parks and cars are doing so by choice. Just so they can climb a rock or 2 and not have to work like real people.