A Squamish resident is urging district action to address safety concerns tied to encampments on a privately owned land near the Eaglewind and Parkhouse communities.
Patrick Henry, strata council member of Streams townhomes in Downtown Squamish, wrote the letter in February. However, the district published the letter on its website last week. In the letter, Henry outlined several incidents involving people living in encampments on the property. He emphasized concern about one individual who may be experiencing serious mental health issues and possibly substance use.
“As of the last few weeks, this individual has been throwing rocks at parked vehicles and pedestrians walking by,” Henry wrote. He described an incident on January 9, 2025, in which rocks were thrown at multiple vehicles, causing body damage and broken windows. A second incident took place on January 25, when the same individual allegedly threw rocks toward pedestrians on a sidewalk near the dog park. The RCMP were contacted, Henry wrote.
Henry also cited a fire on October 23, 2024, at the individual’s camp area. “Multiple fire engines were called to minimize this large fire, luckily, it was very wet out and they were able to contain it,” he wrote. In addition to these incidents, Henry listed other ongoing issues related to the encampments, including “loud altercations, toxic creosote railway tie fires, drug use, garbage and possession of stolen items.” He said Eaglewind residents are “very upset and concerned for their safety.”
While expressing empathy for the individuals living there, Henry said the public safety risks are unacceptable. “We’re in a very dense area with a lot of foot traffic, children and tax-paying residents terrified for their safety,” he wrote.
The land is privately owned and situated on BC Rail lands, and is part of a development proposal called Village on Bailey Street. Henry has also called on the landowner to take responsibility for the conditions on the land. “It is unacceptable that everyone in Eaglewind and Parkhouse are unable to feel safe in their neighbourhood and the only resolution we see at this point is for a massive development project to start and clear the land,” he wrote.
“Is there any liability to the land owner to prevent these activities? If a massive fire were started on this land and it spread to the Eaglewind complex, who would be responsible if there were a major fire wiping out all of these $1,000,000 townhouses?”
Henry continued: “I understand the RCMP and Fire Department are doing their best and there is a safety concern for the officers and firefighters to enter into these areas without support.”
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