CRAB Park ‘clean-up’ continues, as residents’ return delayed

Residents of CRAB Park in Vancouver were supposed to move back into the city’s legally designated area Monday, but their return was delayed as crews continue their “clean-up” efforts.

On March 18, park residents were temporarily relocated to a different area of the park so city crews could clear debris from the area where they had been living.

Construction began on March 25 and its end date has now been pushed back to April 4 — three days later than expected.

Lynn Thompson has experienced homelessness and says it was difficult for residents when the clean-up began.

“We cried all day. It was like we were in mourning, it was like…destroying their homes,” Thompson said.

Athena Pronto, a CRAB Park resident, says the whole operation has been “very disruptive” and “caused a lot of anxiety.”

In a statement, the Vancouver Park Board says: “The very wet weather throughout the week led to increased deterioration of the already poor ground conditions in the designated area. As a result, crews required additional time to level and repair the ground over the Easter weekend and into early this week.”

The park board says it expects the clearing to be complete by Thursday, so it can reopen the designated area and begin the moving residents back in. It says priority will be given to those who had been regularly sheltering overnight in the area prior to the clean-up.

Michelle Gagnon-Creely, a volunteer at CRAB Park, says so far, the clean-up has felt like a lot of broken promises from the city.

“At this point, I think we’re all kind of apprehensive to see whether or not things actually pan out in the time,” Gagnon-Creely said.

The city says the final phase of the clean-up plan includes working with BC Housing to find residents housing and shelter options, and to remove the work fence, which was still in place Monday.

However, a fear persists within the park that this situation resembles past decampments.

“The way that this has been undertaken with the fencing and the lack of communication, and the city coming in and literally bulldozing, its reminiscent to residents of the same strategies that were taken at Strathcona and Oppenheimer,” Gagnon-Creely said.

“I honestly, truly don’t believe that they’ll allow them back,” Thompson added.