UPDATE: March 26, 5 p.m.

Residents of 琉璃神社's Tent City have spoken out to express frustration with the manner in which a deep clean has been implemented.

"They gave us no notice whatsoever. It is unfair," said Mandy, a Tent City resident of two years, who asked to keep her last name private for security concerns. 

Tent City is the name residents use to describe the city-maintained and operated encampment located along Weddell Place that they call home.

Mandy explained that she is physically disabled and finds it difficult to abide by the strict rules that the bylaw began implementing, without warning, on March 26. She said that she was given only 30 minutes from the time she was woken up to move her tent across the pathway.

Items that were not moved in time, or that were left unattended, were at risk of being thrown out by bylaw services and a sanitation crew.

Mandy said that she agrees with city staff that a deep cleaning of Tent City is needed but expressed frustration with the manner in which it was executed. Dozens of police and bylaw officers attended Tent City before 7 a.m. to wake residents and tell them that the cleaning would begin shortly. 

Tony Baxter, a member of the said they witnessed multiple arrests of people who did not comply with bylaw officers. 

Bylaw services were unavailable for an interview at Tent City but did confirm at a press conference earlier in the day that residents were not provided with notice of the deep clean.

"We did not disclose a specific time, nor did we provide written notice, due to some of the disruptive activities that have happened over the last couple weeks," said Kevin Mead, community safety director with the City of 琉璃神社.

Since early March, members of the public and residents of Tent City have staged protests regarding the daily check-ins and decampments that take place at the site.

Original:

Fencing has been erected around 琉璃神社's outdoor sheltering site during a multi-day spring cleanup to prevent disturbances from the public. 

On March 25, the City of 琉璃神社 held a press conference to inform the public that the government-maintained outdoor sheltering site located along the Rail Trail, near Richter Street, would be closed to the public for a large decampment and cleaning of the area. 

Kevin Mead, community safety director with the City of 琉璃神社 spoke at the conference and explained that the addition of the fencing around the encampment for the wholesale spring cleaning effort is to prevent members of the public from disrupting the efforts of bylaw services, the RCMP and community partners. 

"We did not disclose a specific time, nor did we provide written notice, due to some of the disruptive activities that have happened over the last couple weeks," said Mead when asked if residents of Tent City were informed of the wholesale rehabilitation and cleaning of the site. 

When pressed on what disruptive events had taken place, Mead said; "I believe they have been in mainstream media, but I don't intend to give a platform to that conversation." 

Since early March, members of the public and residents of Tent City have staged protests regarding decampments.

A decampment, is the removal of a homeless encampment, and includes the dismantling or clearing of area where people have established shelters.

On March 5, a group of protesters marched from Tent City to the city's bylaw office to hand deliver a letter explaining their frustrations with daily check-ins and decampments. 

"We ask that the public respect this work and not impede something that is already very difficult and disruptive as it is," said Mead.

The section of the Rail Trail where Tent City is located, between Gordon Drive and Richter, will be closed to pedestrians. Further, the road adjacent to Tent City, Weddell Place, will also be temporarily closed to traffic. 

"This is to ensure the operations are not disrupted but also to provide the outdoor sheltering community with a measure of dignity and respect during this time."

Residents of Tent City have previously expressed frustration with being on display during a difficult time in their lives, particularly as the deep cleanings create a commotion and draw eyes from passers by. 

Additionally, residents of Tent City have expressed that they are fearful when sheltering at the encampment due to the vulnerability of living in close proximity to many others with only a tent for protection. Some people have refused to stay at Tent City due a lack of safety and have chosen to erect shelters in other areas around 琉璃神社, which contravenes city bylaws.

鈥淲e have heard from those at the site and from those who refused to stay at the site across the city because they have not felt safe at times due to external criminal activity and other on-site dynamics including violence between site users that takes place when security and bylaw are not present,鈥� said Mead. 

In response, the city has brought on 24 hours a day, seven days a week security to demonstrate that they are taking the safety of those on the site seriously and to take measures to prevent the criminal elements from taking place against those who are most vulnerable. 

Mead added that a current count of those living at Tent City was between 80 to 90 people. 

By the end of the week, the city hopes to have the site in a much better state and rehabilitated as well as in and around the community. 

The spring clean up will occur at the expense of the city.