Campers living in environmentally and culturally sensitive areas of Beacon Hill Park will be forced to relocate to less vulnerable locations within the park after the City of Victoria was granted a court injunction.
READ ALSO: Petition demands Victoria ‘save Beacon Hill Park’
The city filed the application on July 10 to the B.C. Supreme Court, asking for an order that would require people experiencing homelessness to shelter only in permitted areas of the park and prohibit anyone from sheltering in sensitive areas designated under the parks bylaw.
READ ALSO: Campers allowed to stay in Beacon Hill Park for now
In a statement, Mayor Lisa Helps said that she recognized the order would make campers “more visible” but hoped that the community “can come together to get through this challenging time.”
City bylaw staff and community outreach workers have been meeting regularly with the approximately 100 people sheltering in the park and according to a press release, many people have already moved from sensitive areas.
More to come…
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