CRAB Park residents remain angry and confused just one day before temporary eviction

Anger and confusion are rampant among residents of CRAB Park one day ahead of a scheduled temporary eviction Sunday, according to a volunteer with a group advocating to end displacement in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

Kaylee from “Stop the Sweeps” spoke to CityNews about the frustrations shared by the people currently sheltering at the park, which is Vancouver’s sole 24/7 legal encampment.

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“Tomorrow the rangers have said that everyone will have the day to move,” she said.

“And then at the end of the day, if necessary, residents will be escorted out by VPD.”

The Vancouver Park Board says it is temporarily shutting down the area near the waterfront to clean it up.

“The situation in CRAB Park is unsafe for the residents there,” Park Board Chair Brennan Bastyovanszky had previously told CityNews, explaining that the proposed clean-up is aimed at improving health and safety conditions for people living in the area.

One of the reasons for the anger and confusion is that people living in the encampment do not feel like they are being heard, Kaylee says.

“They’re mad that they’re being made to pack up and move without anyone taking their suggestions about the best way to do that,” she said. “And so I’d say the mood is bad.”

Kaylee says residents don’t know exactly when this will happen on Sunday.

“They have not told us anything concrete,” she said.

A previous estimate provided by CRAB Park advocate Fiona York was that around 30 residents are living at the park at any given time.

With files from Michael Williams.