Residents of several inner city communities are concerned as unwelcome guests have created temporary shelters within their neighbourhoods.
Warm summer temperatures continue to attract homeless Calgarians to the banks of the Elbow and Bow Rivers and a number of homeless camps have been erected under bridges.
“People are taking advantage of the hot weather and camping al fresco, rough sleeping,” said Gian-Carlo Carra, Ward 9 councillor. “It’s all along the river path systems. We’ve got an amazing park system but it’s extensive and away from prying eyes.”
Carra has noticed a change in the camps over the last few years.
“I think it’s a little bit more fraught this year than last year with the opioid crisis, with fentanyl in the streets,” said Carra. “I think these encampments have become sort of a little bit more lawless, a little bit more criminal-oriented than just social disorder.”
Gerard Macdonald is homeless and has lived in Calgary off-and-on for the better part of four decades. He says the authorities are facing an uphill battle against camps like the one in Elbow Island Park, under the 4 Street bridge.
“Bylaw chases them out (of the park) but they don’t bother them under there,” said Macdonald. “They’ll come back anyway.”
Macdonald says the homeless camp is rife with drug use and the campers are known to have created problems at the Drop-In Centre. He understands why the residents of the nearby communities of Roxboro and Rideau Park would object to the makeshift camp.
“That’s a very wealthy area so they don’t like that being around them and I don’t blame them,” said Macdonald. “It’s a lot of garbage and there’s a lot of fighting.”
The homeless Calgarian says he avoids the area. “It’s pretty dirty down there. People defecate and (urinate).”
Frank Hunt, a Cliff-Bungalow resident, walks atop the bridge on a regular basis but would think twice about setting foot in the park below. “This place should be for people going down with their kids and having picnics,” said Hunt. “It’s a great island but I couldn’t ever see you letting your kids go down there to play.”
On Wednesday, members of the Calgary Police Service and City of Calgary Bylaw paid a visit to the makeshift camp and told the squatters they had to leave. According to officers, visits to homeless camps in Calgary occur on a near daily basis as campers simply relocate.
Carra says he encourages Calgarians to report the camps to 3-1-1 as the camps are illegal and the campers may have issues that need to be addressed. “We don’t just treat this as a policing issue. We treat this as a social issue.”
The Ward 9 councillor says an investigation into encampments and a rise in crime associated with opioid use revealed the camps were falling through the cracks between City of Calgary departments including sanitation, parks, and police as well as social agencies. Until recent years, the City did not have allotted funds in the budget specific to homeless camps. “It’s particularly an issue these last couple of seasons when there is fentanyl on the street and these issues are becoming increasing complex.”
Stolen property has been recovered from several camps and Carra encourages everyone to take measures to avoid becoming victims of crimes of opportunity.
“Take your valuables out of your car, lock your doors and we’ll get through this,” said Carra. “Right now, we’re in a bit of a storm and it’s time to batten down the hatches.”
With files from CTV's Stephanie Wiebe
