Tent city rebuilt on lawn of regional building
Activists relocate after being kicked out of Victoria Park
KITCHENER — The City of Kitchener kicked tent city activists out of Victoria Park on Wednesday, but the protesters then set up their tents on the front lawn of a downtown regional building.
And they don’t plan on leaving any time soon. Protester Julian Ichim said housing workers with the Region of Waterloo met with protesters and are working on finding housing.
“We are going to see if that works,” he said as people put up tents at the Region of Waterloo building at the corner of Queen and Weber streets Wednesday.
“The region is in charge of housing and addiction through public health. They are in charge of issues that lead to homelessness,” Ichim said.
When asked by a passing cyclist why protesters were setting up tents on the lawn, Ichim said, “We want an addiction centre and poverty dealt with. That’s why we are here.”
Protesters erected tents on Roos Island in Victoria Park a week ago. They were asked to move from the island because Kitchener had weekend events on the island. The protesters moved near the playground.
The city gave them a deadline of Wednesday to leave the park.
Gloria MacNeil, the city’s director of bylaw enforcement, said workers monitored the park and warned protesters that they would be asked to leave immediately if there was excessive garbage, if they interfered with residents in the park or if used syringes were discarded in the area.
“They were agreeable,” she said. “We haven’t had issues with them. They have been co-operative.”
Deb Schlichter, regional director of housing services, said housing applications were taken to the protesters at the park last week. Workers picked them up Wednesday, she said.
“We are trying to understand their concerns and that they are being heard,” she said.
City and regional officials say they realize some protesters may be injecting drugs in the tent.
Ichim said people are using drugs in the tents and that naloxone and other equipment is available to ensure users are safe.