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As Vancouver grapples with a rise in homelessness, the park board is proposing to crack down on what types of temporary shelters are allowed — and where — in its parks.

A report to go before the Vancouver Park Board Monday says bylaw amendments are needed because “when tents and other temporary structures … accumulate or remain in place for extended periods of time, they can impact public access to park space and amenities and result in a strain on staffing and resources.”

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But those advocating for unhoused residents say the news is upsetting. Housing advocate Fiona York said Saturday she is angry the city is considering bylaw changes without consulting the people who would be affected.

The new staff report recommends changing bylaws to allow only camping tents or collapsible canopies that are a maximum of 10 feet by 10 feet and “capable of being dismantled and moved by one person.” It would also prohibit construction materials such as lumber or fencing.

The existing bylaw lacked specificity, the staff report said, leading some people to assert that tiny structures without a foundation and that could be removed on a trailer were allowed.

Other proposed bylaw amendments include banning the placement of temporary shelters under tree canopies or within seven metres of a lake, beach, dock, pond or cliff. Staff also propose banning temporary shelters at Queen Elizabeth Park and VanDusen Botanical Garden.

The amendments are intended to support use by those relying on parks for overnight shelter, set up better hygiene and safety outcomes, and improve relations between park users and operations staff, the report says.

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The report comes as about 30 people have begun to return to a designated area of CRAB Park after crews completed a cleanup of the homeless camp late last month.

Crews cleared structures that were defined as “non-compliant,” many of which were made out of wood pallets or metal fencing.

Disputes have erupted between homeless residents and park rangers about which temporary shelters are permitted at the park.

During January’s cold weather, several homeless advocates visited the park with materials to construct small wooden dwellings to replace snow-battered tents. But they were met with police and park rangers, who claimed that building plans didn’t adhere to bylaws.

As of Saturday, York said a few residents had moved back to the designated daytime camping area of CRAB Park.

“They are being rushed to move,” York said, adding that only a few had done so because they are permitted to bring so little — only bedding and clothing.

York said that park rangers have given several residents tents in place of the makeshift homes they were living in before the encampment was bulldozed — but none have been permitted to bring their mattresses with them.

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“The park board finally agreed to consider allowing cots, but now they need a city designer to sketch out such a regulation cot and what it can look like.”

A Metro Vancouver homeless count released last fall reported 4,821 people in the region without a home as of March 2023. Half of them were in Vancouver.

sgrochowski@postmedia.com

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