Vancouver removes over 150 propane tanks in Vanier Park clean-up

The City of Vancouver says staff were in Vanier Park for a mass cleanup of debris on Tuesday — including the removal of 157 propane tanks.

In an email to CityNews, it explains that Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation Park Rangers have frequent communication with those living in encampments at Vanier Park, and Tuesday’s operation included a full cleanup of the park alongside a sanitation team from the city.

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Videos seen online show mass amounts of propane tanks piled in the park by clean-up crews, as well as some garbage and tent-like structures.

“Park Rangers removed a number of items that people sheltering in the park requested to be removed, as well as some abandoned items,” the City of Vancouver stated.

“Park Rangers did not impound anything or remove items that were not approved and/or requested by the people sheltering in the park unless clearly abandoned.”

While the city doesn’t say encampments in Vanier Park were removed, it does stress that people are allowed to stay “from dusk to dawn” in the park as outlined by the Park Control by-law — but they must have their tents packed up and removed by the morning.

It adds that Park Rangers “attend” Vanier Park daily and will continue to do so “to ensure residents and park goers are safe.”