On the heels of tension at Oppenheimer Park, a slightly more subtle clash occurred between volunteers and park rangers at Crab Park in Vancouver this morning.
Volunteers were scheduled to meet at Crab Park today to help build a tiny home, and according to the man behind it, Brad Gustafson, around $1,500 was raised for the venture.
“I’m announcing the installment of Vancouver’s first grassroots-erected tiny home in Crab Park,” Gustafson said in an email earlier this week.
That didn’t go according to plan.
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Based on the information we’ve received from the Vancouver Park Board, the clash seemed to stem from bylaw violations. We also got some details from someone on the scene.
Amanda Burrows, the executive director for First United, was documenting some of the confrontations on Thursday morning. On X, she suggested there was an absurd number of cops present.
Developing story: park rangers and cops trying to confiscate materials to build a tiny home at crab park. These builders are trying to keep people warm and using innovative and affordable solutions.
Look at the amount of cops and rangers trying to stop this. This is absurd. pic.twitter.com/BBR2aG6NnD
— Amanda Burrows (she/her) (@BurrowsAmanda) January 18, 2024
The grassroots event was scheduled to start at 10 am.
“I got a call that the park rangers and the police had come on-site around a quarter after 10,” Burrows told Daily Hive.
She said there were about eight cops and eight rangers present.
Burrows, who’s also an advocate, said that as volunteers were going to grab building materials, rangers stepped in, saying a bylaw was being infringed on.
There is a bylaw standoff that is ridiculous. Hear the powerful words of Brad from Prince George who is here to help this encampment build ONE tiny home pic.twitter.com/7HBgB1kJfh
— Amanda Burrows (she/her) (@BurrowsAmanda) January 18, 2024
We spoke to the Vancouver Park Board, who shed some more light on the bylaw infringement.
“As is well understood by the community and these protestors, construction of a tiny home or any structure in a park would be in violation of the Park Control By-laws 1(O), 11, 11A, 11B, 13. It will pose safety hazards, contribute to the degradation of the parklands, and disrupt use of the park for the entire community,” A Vancouver Park Board spokesperson said.
Advocates argue that the bylaw wasn’t infringed and that a tiny home doesn’t constitute a permanent structure.
The park board expanded on risks to parkland, offering more insight into why Vancouver park rangers responded to the Crab Park situation the way they did.
“While we understand the desire to call attention to the homelessness crisis and its devastating impacts on individuals and communities, this type of action diverts Park Ranger attention from the important work of connecting with people and supporting all park users. This is not a constructive use of limited resources, it does not ensure those in need receive critical supports, and it creates a physical risk for limited and sensitive parklands.”
Burrows feels the action was political and that the response didn’t meet the action volunteers were taking, particularly in the extreme weather, though she doesn’t fault rangers for doing the jobs they’re forced to do.
BC Coroner report on outdoor deaths
Based on information we’ve received from the BC Coroner, there’s still a dire, unaddressed need for homes, especially in this weather. BC has faced below-freezing temperatures and has experienced some major weather events. So it’s been clear winter has arrived.
Tragically, preliminary numbers from the BC Coroner Service show there were 36 outdoor deaths between January 1 and 16.
These deaths are still under investigation. The BC Coroner Service also added that it could not comment on the impact (if any) that the weather played in any individual deaths at this time.
It further explained that an outdoor death includes “deaths that occur in public spaces outdoors, transport areas (e.g., street, sidewalk, parking lot), parks, trails, campgrounds, wooded or grassy areas, or outdoor space of a private residence (e.g., yard, driveway).”
With files from Nikitha Martins
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