Claire O’Connell and her accomplice Jamie Savard are getting ready to vacate their tent in Barrie’s Berczy Park.
“I’ve by no means needed to be afraid earlier than, and I have been on the road for 2 years, and I’ve by no means been afraid, till now,” O’Connell mentioned.
O’Connell is one among a minimum of two dozen individuals dwelling within the park who should go away after the Metropolis of Barrie issued a three-day eviction discover.
“We’re handled like rubbish in all places we go. We’re advised to go away even once we say we’re simply individuals like everybody else. We need to be liked and have the identical human rights that everyone else has,” O’Connell added.
The County of Simcoe and the Busby Centre are working collectively for these displaced.
Employees with Busby advised Ontario Chronicle the group will add 20 beds to its shelter.
In an announcement on Wednesday, the County famous that shelters would provide some lodging and safer choices than dwelling open air, together with well being companies and psychological well being and habit assist.
However these dwelling within the park say that is not all the time the case.
“You possibly can defend your self higher out right here; being within the shelter, I had my clothes stolen, phone stolen, even after I was sleeping, issues had been stolen,” mentioned Savard.
“The factor is, providing a shelter mattress means nothing. The problem is, is it accessible to the person? If the individual has a pet, do they permit pets? If they’ve companions, do they permit companions? Have they got locked lockers? If they’ve an habit, can they accommodate that?” said Jeff Schlemmer, the manager director of the Group Authorized Clinic Of York Area, which is engaged on related instances in Hamilton and Waterloo.
Mayor Alex Nuttall is adamant that the tents have to go.
“Parks are locations the place our youngsters are taking part in, the place our seniors are strolling, and households are hanging out, and they aren’t campgrounds. They should be clear, freed from needles and paraphernalia that pose a danger to younger individuals,” the mayor mentioned.
Christine Nayler, who co-founded Ryans Hope, a not-for-profit group which assists these fighting addictions and homelessness in Simcoe County, mentioned further lodging ought to have been offered to these pressured to go away the encampment.
“That is going to end in a whole lot of hurt to lots of people who’re already struggling in survival mode on this encampment, and that’s our concern. I do not perceive how town can justify it. How is that this going to be safer for anyone? These individuals will simply go to a different park, and the cycle simply retains occurring time and again,” mentioned Nayler.
These dwelling at Berczy Park should vacate the realm by Friday.
