The City of Victoria has announced it will open Royal Athletic Park’s parking lot for campers who have experienced flooding at Central Park.
Photos posted by the North Park Neighbourhood Association (NPNA) Monday evening show huge pools of water and partially collapsed tents at the park.
The scene led to a call from the NPNA to re-open Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre to indoor housing.
The City says BC Housing and the GSL Group, the operator of the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, are currently discussing reusing the space as a temporary shelter.
In the meantime, the City says offering the parking lot will provide people sheltering outdoors with a safer, if not ideal, space to camp.
“With the recent heavy rainfall, the situation in Central Park has become untenable for those sheltering,” said Mayor Lisa Helps.
“In the meantime, we are grateful to everyone who has mobilized to help move people camping to firmer ground that won’t flood.”
BC Housing and the City are also providing individuals at the parking lot with new tents and fresh bedding.
Some of the camping stock has been offered by the Victoria Fire Department, while BC Housing says they will fund additional tents and bedding if needed.
Allison Ashcroft, a member of the NPNA’s Board of Directors, called the temporary solution an improvement while criticizing the slow response for immediate housing.
“It’s disappointing that it’s had to come to this where people have had to experience such undue hardship and anguish the last two days and yet another night still tonight,” she stated Wednesday evening.
