First came John Smith’s announcement to the national media that he had instructed the APD to handle homelessness in downtown Abbotsford; then the Abbotsford Shuffle – otherwise known as Chief Bob Rich’s “disperse and displace” strategy for solving homelessness; then Mayor Banman’s Chicken Manure Incident ;then there was the Standoff in Jubilee; followed by the ‘MCC Dignity Village‘ protest camp on Gladys Avenue and the gathering of more and more of Abbotsford’s homeless to the security of living with others and out in the open in the growing size and number of camps across from the Salvation Army and along Gladys Avenue.
After a seven-month truce when the City and the APD seemed tired of the constant local, provincial, national and international attention, BC Hydro decided it was time to stir things up and, in the middle of summer, with everybody away on summer holidays, they gave notice that Abbotsford’s homeless had to vacate their property – a 15 foot strip of grass and berry bushes along Gladys Avenue – or face the legal consequences, which can and might include everything from charges for getting rid the citizen’s belongings, charges and arrest for refusing to move, wages, time and material costs to agencies, shelters, caregivers and possibly the City in order to mount a massive human and logistics operation which will cause mayhem, increased drug and alcohol use, fear, separation and distress.
A number of camp residents have said they have had enough and do not intend to move anymore.
Abbotsford Today contributors Bas Stevens and Win Wachsmann visited the camps this week to keep a historical record of the camps before the cops move in.
Some of the homeless men and women being targeted by BC Hydro
The Abbotsford Shuffle – July 2014
- ‘Where Does The APD Want Them To Go?’ Asks DWS
- APD Advises Gladys Avenue Homeless To Move Again
- Why Is BC Hydro Pushing Abbotsford’s Homeless Around?
- Where Do Ya Want ‘Em To Go? – True North Times
- UPDATE: Homeless Told To Move Again
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Bas Stevens
Bas is the owner and photographer at MonoPod Photography.
You can follow Bas on Facebook where he publishes many of his photos.
To see more of Bas’ photos on Abbotsford Today click here
To see Bas’ photos of the homeless during Moving Day On Gladys Avenue click here
Bas Stevens lives in downtown Abbotsford and shares the neighbourhood just as readily with his neighbours with homes as he does with the homeless, the drug addicted and others who are down on their luck.
Bas has a home and is known to most in the power structure in Abbotsford as a man who calls things as he sees them and is very involved in his community and the political process which guides it.
You can find him most Wednesday nights over at Jubilee Park during The 5 and 2 Ministries meal for the homeless. Failing that, you catch him either at Legal Grounds Coffee House chewing the ear off of a politician or giving as good as he gets over at O’Neill’s Home Cooking over on Gosling.
You stand a good chance of finding him Saturday mornings over at the Abbotsford Farm and Country Market and Saturday evenings back over at Jubilee Park.
Wherever he is Bas usually has his eyes and ears wide open. We’re proud to have him as a contributor and urge you to get to know him if you give a damn about Abbotsford. You’ll be hard pressed to find anyone who cares more than he does.
This situation of an illegal encampment on BC Hydro land was inevitable..written in stone, given a court order to leave Jubilee Park in the middle of winter, without the courts requiring the city to take the time to help find land suitable for a temporary encampment, until, they could evaluate the needs of the homeless and find strategies to help the homeless, who were unable to make a sudden major transition into structured rental housing.
How much will this move cost the Abbotsford taxpayers? Costs for
the clean up and removal of homeless by Abbotsford Police for BC Hydro ?
The court ruling lead to the establishment of a campsite on BC Hydro land, putting the homeless at risk without them knowing the dangers, until about one month+ ago.
Why did BC Hydro wait approximately five months to put up the No trespassing signs, all the while the campsite has grown along the strip of land owned by BC Hydro?
Marlisa Power Says:
Mike I concur with you whole heartedly – why did Hydro wait. I continue to be saddened and disappointed in the City’s leadership on this issue. Why do they continue to harass the homeless?
From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/536856343099184/609807052470779/?notif_t=group_comment
Alana Murphy (reg) Says:
Get them gone, i’ts a cesspool of dirty needles and disease. Not to mention they steal from the surrounding neighborhoods, and if they aren’t users they are dealers, I know so.
From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/536856343099184/609807052470779/?notif_t=group_comment
Dan McGuire Says:
Alana, where exactly do you want them to go? Take a look around at other communities – they have found actual real solutions, while Abbotsford has stuck with the same tried, tested and failed “solutions”…
From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/411347525651257/616116905174317/?notif_t=group_comment
Rachel Kirkpatrick Says:
K…. so what now? Do people need to be gathered in protest? What is the next step to help?
From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/536856343099184/609807052470779/?notif_t=group_comment
Marlisa Power Says:
Yes let’s get together!
From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/536856343099184/609807052470779/?notif_t=group_comment
Alana Murphy Says:
Other communities responses are to send them to Abbotsford because we allow them to build roadside villages surrounded by dirty needles
And Again …
Alana Murphy As for the dealers that you feel so much for, I know exactly where they can go………
From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/411347525651257/616116905174317/?notif_t=group_comment
Mike Archer Says:
Actually Alana, Chilliwack, Langley and Surrey have all built low barrier shelters for their homeless and virtually eliminated their population of street people. As for saying that those who disagree with you “feel so much about the dealers” that is a strawman argument with no basis in anything written here.
From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/411347525651257/616116905174317/?notif_t=group_comment
Dan McGuire Says:
Mike…it may be a straw man argument, but it’s one the APD and city are using to influence the public opinion. Although it does highlight the mentality towards the homeless. To wit – anywhere else in the city the APD would be looking at the dealers as the issue – based on the recent press release form them – in this case, because these are homeless people their focus is on the customers,..because it is one more tool to harass and arrest them.
From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/411347525651257/
Dan McGuire Says:
I guess Alana is in that group of people who don’t need any evidence or investigation to form an opinion. I sure hope no one in her circle ever suffers from a mental illness, addiction or just plain bad luck….chances are they’ll get the Old ‘Yeller treatment out behind the barn.
From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/411347525651257/
Alana Murphy Says:
I do know people that suffer from all 3 of those things Dan, there is also help for people with all those things. I am kin to someone who buys from this “protest teepee”………and “bad luck”, there is no such thing, you make your own, you can also get back up from it………….if you are refusing the help you are being offered, or if your are straight up lazy and don’t want to work and our content with leeching off of other peoples work, get lost.
From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/411347525651257/
What does “straight up lazy’ mean?
Uneducated, no home or family, addictions and/or mental illness
How do have drive to work or ability to work?
Dan McGuire Says:
Then Alana…..your Kin to the problem, instead of bitching TAKE RESPONSABILTY FOR YOUR KIN!!!, As for the ‘help’ available to ‘those people’ gimme a list!! The Abbotsford Social development committee highlighted the LACK OF AVAILABLE services close to ten years ago – the Low Barrier Housing project that Abbotsford council declined was step ONE of the process
From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/411347525651257/
Dan McGuire Says:
http://www.abbotsfordtoday.ca/abbotsford-has-nowhere-to…/
‘Abbotsford Has Nowhere To House These People’ – Deb Lowell – Abbotsford Today
http://www.abbotsfordtoday.ca
By Mike Archer. In an apparent break with the City of Abbotsford’s long-held legal position, Deb Lowell, of the Abbotsford Salvation Army, admitted in a story in the Abbotsford News published Saturday, May 10, that Abbotsford has nowhere to house much of its homeless population.
From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/411347525651257/