Winnipeg resident voices concern over safety due to homeless encampment in Fort Rouge Park

A homeless encampment by the riverbank in Fort Rouge Park has a resident in the area voicing concerns over safety in theneighbourhood.

Danelle Hueging, who has lived in the the River Avenue-Osborne neighbourhood for 12 years, says she's witnessed incidents of break-ins,vandalismand theft, and that her neighbours have too.

"Overall, this is part of a bigger problem. It's so much more than just safety. I think we've got poverty issues, homelessness, access to resources, addiction and mental health. I don't even know where to begin actually. It's overwhelming."

Hueging said her car and home have been broken into and that when things are stolen, the first place she expects to find them is in the encampment. However, she said it's a dangerous area becauseof the substance abuse and mental wellness issues.

She saidher neighbours are also concerned. "We've woken up with people on our steps, and just sleeping or looking in windows and it doesn't feel safe. It feels very threatening in the area."

Hueging's neighbour, Lisa Hargraveagreed. She saidshe's noticed people who are drunk or on hard drugsin the neighbourhood.

However, she thinks the issues are connected to the neighbourhood overall."Wealso have some lower income housing around us and I know there's somebeen some gang activity in the neighbourhoodthat make us feel uncomfortable."

Just last Wednesday,Tammy Bateman, who was in her 30s, diedafter being struck by Winnipeg policedriving through the park to take someone backtothe encampment.

Hueging said that the night of the incident, she heard a man hollering in the park, and then the fire paramedics showed up, followed by police cars.

This area is supposed to be family-friendly, she said.

"Hopefully we can immediately address some of the safety concerns," she said, noting there should be more resources for people who need help and that lighting could be improved and other measures could be taken.

She saidshe's addressed some of these issues withCoun.Sherri Rollins, who represents Fort Rouge East Fort Garry.

Rollins said she's working on dealing with the encampment and housing situations.

"Residents contact my office every single day about encampments, their concerns, the impacts that they have experienced and no doubtfor the last six years that has been a very key part of the casework, " Rollins said.

"There is a national housing strategy and we are participating in a $25 million projectwith the federal government and provincial government," she said.

Jamil Mahmood from the Main Street Project, which helps vulnerable residents, echoes Rollins' sentiment that housing is needed.

"Weneed housing and unless there is a commitment and investmentto build enough housing we can't take a firmer approach," he said.

No one would choose to live in encampments if there were safer places to live, he said.

"We need to build harm reduction into housing and have those options. We just don't have enough variety of housing to meet people's needs, until we build that we won't see an end to homelessness."

The City of Winnipeg said itemploys a human rights-based approach to reports of encampments on public property.

According to the city, whenever possible, their staff will try to putresidents of encampments in touch with available shelter resources. They also said staff will only assess whether an encampment should be vacated if there's an immediate risk to public or personal safety.

Meanwhile, residents of Fort Rouge likeHuegingsaytheyneed concrete solutions.

"I think that we need to explore better options for this," Hueging said."Maybe sanctioned encampments, more safe housing, maybe curfews in the park, especially parks that are frequented by children."

Fort Rouge residents concerned about homeless encampment in park

9 days ago

Duration 2:35

A homeless encampment by the riverbank in Fort Rouge Park has a resident in the area voicing concerns over safety in the neighbourhood.