Several residents took to 91大黄鸭 City Hall to demostrate, once again.

This time, locals gathered to support those who are currently experiencing homelessness.

Local broadcaster Lisa Redl spoke at the rally.

鈥淲e have to find a solution right now,鈥� Redl said. 鈥淩egardless of what the city is doing, we have to figure out how to get these people warm right now.鈥�

Last week the City of 91大黄鸭 relocated those camping on Leon Avenue to two parks at the north-end of downtown.

According to new rules set out by the city, those camped in the new locations are not allowed to stay the entire day and can only stay at the two sites between 7 p.m. and 9 a.m.

Several people who stayed at the new camp set up by the 91大黄鸭 Curling Club, said they now have no where to go during the day to keep warm, which is worse than staying on Leon Avenue where they could stay warm in their tents.

Redl stated that those camped at Recreation Avenue are demanding additional warming tents be brought to the area to give them a warm place to sleep.

鈥淚 get that there are regulations, but these are human beings too. These are somebody鈥檚 son, somebody鈥檚 daughter,鈥� she said.

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Others attending the rally have experienced homelessness in the past and came to show their support.

鈥淲e were also homeless鈥� and this is just inhumane. I was at the camp this morning handing out breakfast. Sometimes, it鈥檚 as easy as that,鈥� one said.

Another mentioned how easily people can fall through the cracks and end up on the streets.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 pay your rent once and you get evicted quickly, and that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e seeing here. We鈥檝e elected a mayor who ran on a pro-helping the homeless on a Journey Home strategy against someone who had a tough love approach. He won basically on that and we鈥檙e just not seeing action,鈥� another resident said.

Resident Gail Hodgson said, the city should consider the issue as an emergency.

鈥淭he city has procedures for emergencies like when there鈥檚 forest fires - they open up buildings with cots, water, supplies. This is an emergency too,鈥� Hodgson said.

鈥淚鈥檇 like to see a building opened up to these people. They鈥檙e suffering already and I鈥檝e had enough.鈥�

She said she also understood how Knox Mountain neighbourhood residents would be unhappy with having those experiencing homelessness sheltering in a popular park.

鈥淚 feel sorry for them as well. If I lived there and that happened near me and I had kids, and what with some of the homeless folk having addiction and the potential dangers, I feel sorry for them too. It鈥檚 a terrible situation for everybody.鈥�

But, she pointed out that if the city could put security measures for an outdoor camp, they can do that in an indoor setting too.

鈥淲hat the city has done is put up that camp at Recreation (Avenue) and they鈥檙e manning it with security. Well, can they do that in a building?鈥�

In all, Redl said the gathering at city hall wasn鈥檛 meant to be a protest, but a call out and a challenge for the city to act soon before weather conditions get worse.

READ MORE: Knox Mountain, north end 91大黄鸭 residents gather to petition city over homeless camp relocation

READ MORE: Knox Mountain residents hold protest over homeless camp move

twila.amato@blackpress.ca
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