Residents of 91大黄鸭鈥檚 Tent City participated in mandatory 鈥榮pring cleaning鈥� on Thursday, April 13.

Two women who live at the encampment found some lawn chairs amidst the commotion and sat down to speak with Capital News about the 鈥渄econtamination,鈥� and the realities of unsheltered homelessness in 91大黄鸭.

During the cleaning, which involves garbage disposal, raking, and spraying the gravel at the site, all people and their belongings had to vacate. Anything left behind is discarded. However, during the spring cleaning, the residents were met with more compassion than they have in the past, though their memory of the traumatizing fall 鈥渄econtamination鈥� is still fresh.

鈥淭he last time we had a big cleaning day was just before winter鈥� They came with a backhoe and dump trucks and they took a lot of our belongings, they made us leave the site completely last time so anything you couldn鈥檛 carry with you was taken,鈥� said April (name changed), a resident of Tent City since July 2022.

During the spring cleaning, residents were only required to move their belongings to the other side of the path, not completely vacate the area, 鈥渂ut it鈥檚 still a hard day for people鈥�, said April.

April explained that many residents suffer from chronic pain and have physical and mental disabilities and require significant amounts of help to clear their sites. Despite advanced notice of the cleanup and the relaxed requirement, many people had their belongings discarded because they were not able to clear the site.

The encampment, located at the intersection of the Rail Trail and Richter Street, is currently home to approximately 150 people but is expected to explode in population as the weather warms up.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to get crazy,鈥� said April.

The site provides 鈥渢emporary overnight housing,鈥� and according to City of 91大黄鸭 bylaw regulations, residents are expected to vacate the site daily at 9 a.m., and completely remove all their belongings each Thursday for cleaning.

Over the winter the requirement to move was not enforced due to the cold.

READ MORE: 3 blazes in a week at 91大黄鸭鈥檚 Tent City has residents calling for extinguishers

Shelly, who has been living at the encampment intermittently for the past year, said that if the city requires all people experiencing unsheltered homelessness to live together, the site needs sanitation facilities.

鈥淭hey have to put a shower in, they have to put in water, they have to put in electricity鈥� You can鈥檛 step up out of this place without having access to the basics.鈥�

She explained that in order to wash dishes or clothing she has to haul in water, as the tap at the encampment has been out of commission since July.

To access a shower or laundry, residents have to leave the site and go to a day site like Metro, but April said that often the facilities are full and people are turned away.

Additionally, theft at the encampment is prevalent and people cannot leave their belongings unattended, making it difficult to access community resources.

Shelly said that she wants to help create positive change at the encampment before leaving.

She said that in addition to the 鈥渄econtamination鈥� cleanings done by Bylaw, giving residents access to running water is essential to ensure basic sanitation.

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Jacqueline.Gelineau@kelownacapnews.com
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