Miranda Fatur
91原创 Times Reporter
Efforts by outreach groups to help feed the homeless in 91原创 City have placed them at odds with the municipality over the past few weeks.
On Wednesday, Sept. 19, the gates to Rotary Centennial Park, at 208 Street and Fraser Highway, were locked by the City to prevent outreach workers, including Kimz Angels and the 91原创 Vineyard Church, from serving lunch to the homeless.
Before it was moved to Rotary Centennial Park, food distribution by Kimz Angels took place at the 91原创 Vineyard Church. But earlier in September, pastor Leith White announced on Facebook that outreach services on the church property were being put on hold in order to build better relationships between the church鈥檚 neighbours and homeless residents.
鈥淲e paused our services for six weeks. It鈥檚 an invitation to our community to help us help them. We want to work with the whole community in a positive way,鈥� said White.
鈥淥n our church property we鈥檙e under a lot of scrutiny. Some of the challenges are that some (homeless people) don鈥檛 leave very quickly, and that causes collective anxiety within the community, because with that comes the issue of garbage and cleanliness.鈥�
However, with services suspended at the church, White attended food distributions at Rotary Centennial Park with Kimz Angels and has allowed organizer Kim Snow to continue using the church kitchen for meal preparation.
White said while Kimz Angels and other outreach volunteers were handing out food at Rotary Centennial Park on Sept. 12 bylaw officers showed up and explained that the groups are not allowed to distribute food in the park.
The following week, the outreach groups returned to the park and discovered the gate was locked.
Francis Cheung, City of 91原创 chief administrative officer, confirmed the gates were locked on Sept. 19 because the outreach groups had distributed food at the park without prior approval by the City and were in violation of several bylaws.
鈥淯nbeknowst to us, he (White) and Kimz Angels held a food distribution at the park. We got complaints from business owners and residents because all of a sudden we had about 50 to 60 people hanging around there,鈥� said Cheung.
Cheung said White had notified him that food distribution at the church had been put on hold, but had not mentioned that food distribution would be relocated to a public park.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e displacing the issues that forced you to close down the food distribution at your site. You鈥檙e just transferring to another neighbourhood in a city park. That鈥檚 not respectful, it鈥檚 irresponsible.
鈥淲e told them in a number of e-mails not to do it. Unfortunately, Kim and Leith didn鈥檛 comply with our instruction and held another food distribution without our approval. And that鈥檚 pretty disappointing,鈥� said Cheung.
Snow said the City seemed prepared for the outreach volunteers to arrive at the park on Sept. 19 with several bylaw officers present.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always a hassle with the (City of 91原创) bylaws. They don鈥檛 understand these people need a home, so we are not enabling them, we are helping to feed them for that day and connect them with Outlook or Stepping Stone and other organizations. They pick on the little people, which is us.鈥�
Snow added it鈥檚 obvious that the City is trying to deter any outreach meal services.
鈥淭hey were ready for us. And then they ticketed the Kimz Angels truck. They tried everything they could to discourage us, so we carried all the food to the park. We鈥檒l find other ways,鈥� said Snow.
Cheung said the City is concerned about food distribution happening in public parks because it contravenes bylaws, disturbs business owners and residents and publicizes drug use.
According to Cheung, food distribution at the park violated a zoning bylaw, a parks and facilities bylaw, a special events permit bylaw and a mobile vending bylaw.
鈥淲e advised them of that, and they didn鈥檛 comply,鈥� said Cheung.
鈥淥ur message is not that they can鈥檛 distribute food, it鈥檚 that it needs to be served on their own property.鈥�
The following day, Sept. 20, White said the park gate was once again unlocked.
Snow and White both said they plan to apply for park permits to allow them access to the park next week to serve lunch.
However, Cheung said getting a park permit is not a simple task.
鈥淭hey can apply, but we are very hesitant of issuing special events permits. It鈥檚 not only the food distribution, it鈥檚 the aftermath. We are concerned that any site with food distribution could end up a homeless camp.鈥�
White said it hasn鈥檛 been made clear to him what bylaw the groups are violating.
鈥淚鈥檓 at a loss,鈥� he said.
鈥淭he two comments were, 鈥榊ou should go back to your own property,鈥� and 鈥榊ou can鈥檛 hand out food at a park,鈥� which seems very contradictory to usual park activity.鈥�
On Monday, Sept. 24, White was handed six tickets from the City for three offences on Sept. 12 and three offences on Sept. 19. The tickets describe the infractions as a public gathering without a permit, an unauthorized mobile vendor and unlawful land use. The total cost of the tickets is $800.
White said he will bring the tickets to a lawyer.
In the meantime, White and Snow said they plan to continue to hand out food at the park.
鈥淚t was peaceful, people ate and it was a great gathering. The park was clean, we weren鈥檛 making a statement in any way, other than we want to help feed some people,鈥� said White.
White confirmed food distribution at 91原创 Vineyard Church will resume on Oct. 17.
