91原创 City council has approved spending up to $12,000 toward the cost of installing a higher, sturdier fence to keep homeless people from camping out next to the Arbour Lane condominiums at 20897 57 Avenue, which are located south of the Gateway of Hope shelter and meal centre.
That amounts to about 40 per cent of the cost.
Arbour Lane Strata Council will pay the rest.
A from Director of Engineering, Parks & Environment Rick Bomhof described how homeless people have been camping out 鈥渋n close proximity鈥� to the Arbour Lane building.
鈥淭he existing (chain-link) fence has been regularly cut which led to trespassing issues,鈥� the report said.
鈥淭his area has been prone to issues such as defecation, drug consumption, discarded needles, littering 鈥� owners on the side facing 91原创 Bypass regularly deal with unsightly activities and are concerned for their safety.鈥�
鈥淎rbour Lane residents have been dealing with this issue for many years and have noted the problem has been getting worse lately 鈥︹��
The vote approving the fence proposal Monday night was unanimous.
The plan, the result of discussions with the Strata Council of Arbour Lane over the past few months, will see the installation of an eight-foot-high (2.44 meter) 鈥渧andal resistant galvanized expanded metal fence鈥� to replace the current regular chain-link fence.
An extension will also be added to prevent people from rolling shopping carts into the area to camp out.
The project will be fast-tracked without the usual requirement of a petition.
Under normal circumstances, city policy requires residents to petition the city, but council should act quickly, the report said, because filing a petition 鈥渃an be a long process and would mean a delay in installing the fence.鈥�
dan.ferguson@langleytimes.com
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