Vancouver Park Board orders Strathcona Park encampment removed by April 30

Hundreds of campers living in makeshift tents in Vancouver's Strathcona Parkwill be ousted from the city-owned parkby the end of the month, according to the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation.

In a statement Friday, park board officials said anew general manager's order has been issued stating, "all existing tents, temporary shelters and structures must be removed from Strathcona Park by 10 a.m. Friday, April 30."

The Strathcona encampment first appearedin June, 2020, immediately aftera court injunction ordered campers to leave an encampment at theharbourfront'sCRAB Park.

In December, after the number of campers at Strathconagrew to take up a large portion of the community park, the board's general manager Donnie Rosasaidthatonce indoor space hadbeen secured for the encampment's residents, the board wouldmove to enforce the city'sno-camping bylaw,which prohibits any daytime campingfrom 8 a.m. until dusk.

By February, an initial general manager's order was issued which set the wheels in motion to begin restricting campers tothe park's west side.

That order was extended to the northeast corner of the park on March 30.

The statement said the authority to remove the entire encampment is granted through the Parks Control Bylaw.

The board says itis a necessary next step in returningthe park to community use, and placingeveryone who is sleeping overnight outdoorsinto safe housing in the coming weeks.