Neighbours rally against Victoria temporary tenting area

VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) – Victoria’s second-largest park could soon be home to a temporary tent city. Dozens rallied at Topaz Park Saturday, two days after the temporary tenting area plan was announced.

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps says while the city doesn’t have a lot of options, she is open to suggestions. “This park may end up being a place where there is a temporary tenting area, but not without input, not without conversation, not without consultation,” she insists.

Helps also admits the tent city plan isn’t exactly her preference either. “No city should be talking about having a temporary tenting area. It’s just ridiculous, it’s ridiculous that we’re even having this conversation.”

Helps hopes to engage senior levels of government to fund for more housing. “But in the meantime, we can’t do nothing, and at the same time, as we work with the coalition to end homelessness with so many others to have safe, secure affordable housing for everyone, we have to do something,” she says. “This isn’t ideal and we can’t do it alone.”

Helps made her comments in a clip posted to social media Saturday night, hours after the rally in Topaz Park.

Neighbours will get another chance to make their voices heard on Thursday night, when the city will host a community dialogue in the park. The designated tent area could be up and running by October, if not sooner.

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