The City of Williams Lake, with various social service and health care agencies, and support from Williams Lake RCMP, peacefully dispersed a homeless encampment at Herb Gardner Park yesterday (Monday) afternoon.
In a release, Chief Administrative Officer, Gary Muraca, stated “While the City recognizes this is not a perfect solution, we look forward to working with all of the appropriate agencies to establish a long-term solution for this ongoing issue.”
Muraca said he hopes collaborative work between organizations can begin immediately and the decision to disperse the encampment isn’t one they took lightly.
“We are offering support to the individuals involved and have offered to store any belongings for the short term,” Muraca said.
Daily wellness checks and agency supports have been on-site in the park since the camp’s initial setup early last week which quickly grew considerably in size.
The City stated currently appropriate agencies are attempting to find shelter or housing spaces for the camp occupants.