A community event to celebrate the official opening of a new playground in downtown Vancouver was scuttled on Friday after demonstrators Oppenheimer Park People have encouraged people not to pack their tents in accordance with the shelter’s regulations overnight, Global News learned.
The renewal of the playground in Opppenheimer Park began in the summer of 2022 and the new safe and inclusive space for children recently reopened to the public.
The mayor and the city council were invited to attend the rally, which had been scheduled for noon on May 16.
Before the event, Ryan Sudds, a vocal opponent of decampement efforts, including the moves of tents on Hastings in 2023, published an “ advisor to the media ” claiming that the park’s advice increased the decamp for Oppenheimer Park on the morning of the new playground.
“It’s just not specific,” said Vancouver Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung told Global News in an interview on Monday. “To suggest that the opening of a playground has something to do with the park’s regulations under the shelter is completely false.”
Southds, who was not available for an interview with the camera on Monday, told Global News that the residents of Oppenheimer Park asked him to send the press release, and he helped them.
Souths said that he did not consider himself an activist and that no one pays him to do so.
“This is only a regulation, a regulation after another, after the other,,” Gary Humchitt told Global News in reference to the efforts of the Park Rangers to enforce the accommodation rules of the city’s night.
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Humchitt, who does not live in Oppenheimer, said that he supported those who were sleeping in the park – including the elders – and wanted them to get out of the street and in appropriate accommodation.
Under the statutes of the city updated in April 2024, the night refuge is authorized in public parks, but the tents must be withdrawn before 7 am the next morning.
Kirby-Yung confirmed that there had been no change in the rules of night refuge, and nothing has changed in terms of requirements and procedures.
A handful of people are currently in opponent’s tents overnight and as time gets warmer, more people are looking for a shelter in the park.
Friday morning, Park Rangers was carrying out normal compliance work.
Global News learned that two demonstrators were in the park by encouraging new people not to pack their goods and / or not to follow the rules.
“We are not a threat, we are just trying to make a statement,” Humchitt told Global News.
When asked what had happened and if it was his goal to disrupt the opening of the playground, Humchitt replied: “My goal was to try to compromise with the mayor to see what he tries to prove. I mean that it was our opportunity to speak to him. ”
The office of the mayor Ken Sim refused a request for interview with Global News, “so as not to have several spokespersons who speaks about it”.
SIM’s press secretary Taylor Verrall said that a city representative of the city or the Parks of Directors would contact why the great opening of the playground had been canceled – and if the event was diverted by activists.
A communications director of the City of Vancouver said that no one in the city or the Park council was available for an interview on the camera on Monday, but sent a press release attributable to the Park’s board of directors.
“The playground had already opened to the community earlier this month and the celebration scheduled for Friday was intended to be an occasional gathering to recognize the renewal of the playground,” the press release said. “Unfortunately, Friday, we were not ready to organize the event due to a variety of unforeseen circumstances, including the bad weather and the unavailability of key staff.”
The city’s declaration did not explain the “unforeseen circumstances”.
“These are children who do not have access to many opportunities, once again one of the poorest districts in our city,” said Kirby-Yung. “I think it’s really unhappy, it’s sad honestly and frustrating to see it disturbed what should be a happy day for children and families.”
Residents of the Global News region spoke on Monday were disappointed.
“It should be children, I’m sorry,” said Dianne Mary Thérèse Brisson.
“It’s annoying that it happened like that, I’m sorry to hear it,” added Martin Hill.
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