Exactly two weeks after residents of a tent city at Oppenheimer park were given a notice to leave, Mayor Kennedy Stewart announced he wants control of the situation.
"Some folks in the park may need a little nudge to move ahead," Stewart said, calling it a city problem happening in a park.
The issues at Oppenheimer Park fall under the park board's jurisdiction and the city hasn'tr challenged the board since the tent city was established.
The tent city has grown over the summer and at its peak was estimated to hold about 200 inhabitants.
During this time, Stewart said there have been 500 police calls to the park, 20 tent fires and an assault on a female minor.
According the city, 127 homeless people staying in tents at the park have accepted housing offers.
"What is the plan the mayor is talking about?" questioned Vancouver Park Board commissioner John Coupar.
Coupar said the park board is already working towards cleaning up Oppenheimer Park and does not need city hall’s involvement.
"The board has some tools in its toolbox that it hasn’t used yet," Coupar said. "I think the mayor should be worrying about things he can control before he starts taking jurisdiction from the Vancouver Park Board."
Coupar said he will not support temporarily giving control of the Oppenheimer Park to city hall – and for that to happen two-thirds of commissioners will need to vote in favour.
