Pubdate: Fri, 16 Jun 2006
Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Vancouver Courier
Contact:  http://www.vancourier.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474
Author: Sandra Thomas, Staff writer

'PETTY CRIMINALS' RUNNING PARKS STAFF RAGGED

The maintenance supervisor in charge of Jericho Park says the 
squatters in the park are not homeless people. They are petty 
criminals and drug addicts.

"This is not about the homeless," said Mike Mackintosh, supervisor of 
maintenance for Queen Elizabeth District. "These camps are all about 
petty crime and drug use and that is not acceptable under any circumstance."

Mackintosh said the squatter camps he sees have an obvious criminal 
element. During a visit to Jericho Park earlier this week, the 
Courier saw bolt cutters and numerous bike parts strewn around one 
deserted camp. A second camp had a suitcase and was carpeted in 
children's toys. Used hypodermic needles were visible at both camps.

"It's mostly stolen stuff like backpacks, wallets, bike parts, lots 
of bike parts, small stereo parts, beer cans and drug paraphernalia," 
said Mackintosh. "I find the drug paraphernalia the most disturbing."

Mackintosh said the number of squatters sleeping in the park has 
gotten so bad, he's needed to hire a private contractor experienced 
in picking up hazardous waste, such as used needles, to come in once 
a week to clean the garbage left behind.

"It became too time consuming for my staff," he said. "For some 
reason this year is worse than others and I don't have an answer why. 
They come in outbreaks and move from site to site."

Mackintosh said he and his staff are doing what they can to rid 
Jericho of illegal campers with regular checks of the park followed 
by regular cleanups, but he says the squatters return as quickly as 
they are removed.

Across the city Eric Meagher, supervisor of maintenance for Stanley 
Park, said some of the Jericho squatters could be transplants from 
his district.

"Our numbers are way down," said Meagher. "A couple of years ago we 
developed a formal program and that seems to be working."

Four times a year, Meagher and a team, which includes a social 
worker, members of the Vancouver Police Department's mounted squad 
and several sanitation workers, do a sweep of the park. Meagher said 
the team makes direct contact with squatters, gathers information 
about them and suggests alternative places to sleep or live.

"The last tour was about three weeks ago and we only came across 
eight people," said Meagher. "And even taking into account the ones 
we didn't see, I'd say there's probably only 12 [squatters] at the 
most in the park. But I know numbers are up at Jericho."

Earlier this week the Courier reported that members of a conservation 
group that helps look after Jericho Park are concerned about the 
squatters living in the park.

Dawn Hanna of the Jericho Stewardship Group estimates there could be 
50 people living in the wooded area west of the duck ponds. Hanna 
wants the parks board, city and police to work together to solve the problem.

NPA Coun. Suzanne Anton, a former parks board commissioner, said the 
problem is being dealt with at several administrative levels.

"We have a whole team of people who deal with these issues," said 
Anton, who chairs the city's planning and environment committee. "But 
they don't know about them until the public complains and then they 
spring into action."

Anton believes the problems at Jericho got out of hand because, until 
now, the squatters were "flying under the radar."

"People don't go into the middle of parks, they stay on the trails, 
so they don't see the camps," said Anton.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom