Medicine Hat Police Service photos show the scene early Thursday morning in the greenbelt below Sixth Avenue SE and S. Railway Street, as police dismantle tents, clean up debris and move three people who were camping there.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
Medicine Hat Police Service began a cleanup of the greenbelt on the Southeast Hill early Thursday and say this is just the beginning of a crackdown.
There had been tips and complaints from the public, said Insp. Brent Secondiak.
Chief Andy McGrogan, Secondiak and Insp. Joe West went to the location about 8 a.m. and found three people who were camping there with tents and sleeping bags, said Secondiak.
“We sent them on their way and the area was cleaned up,” said Secondiak, noting he was informed on Friday morning that there were more people at the site.
“We are going to start ticketing for littering and camping starting today (Friday),” said Secondiak.
The Southeast Hill is probably a popular location because it is in close proximity to downtown, services and directly behind the food bank, said Secondiak.
This is the area between S. Railway Street and going up the hill to Sixth Avenue SE. There is a trail there and Secondiak says the trees and bushes have created secluded areas that people appear to find ideal for camping.
This particular spot is certainly not the only area being use like this though.
Secondiak says there have been tents in the greenbelt between the houses on First Street SW and the South Saskatchewan River.
“I went there in the evening and took it apart,” said Secondiak. “It was full of needles and debris. I took it down myself and threw the needles away safely.”
Complaints have also been made to the city’s bylaw enforcement about a similar situation near Medalta, said Secondiak.
At the moment there are people choosing to camp in these areas rather than use the emergency shelter for people who are homeless.
“I think it is because there’s rules about alcohol and drugs at the emergency shelter and I think some of these people don’t want to follow those rules,” said Secondiak. “They just choose to live outdoors while the weather is warm.”
MHPS thinks cleaning up impromptu camping sites like the one on Thursday may be an ongoing issue.
“We’ve tried to educate them and I think we need to be more diligent going there frequently … several times a day,” said Secondiak, adding it will become part of routine patrols for MHPS and bylaw in hopes it will convince people that this is not an option.
“There is legitimate housing in town that there’s access to,” said Secondiak.
For the public who have enjoyed using nearby trails there is a sense of fear, he explained.
Secondiak says it is not that there is an increased risk of crime by walking there but there is the “fear” that it puts them at risk.
“From what we’ve heard there hasn’t been any safety issues, it is just the fear of crime,” said Secondiak. “They don’t look presentable, they’ve been sleeping outdoors for days or weeks on end.”
Patrolling these areas is going to put a strain of MHPS resources, he said.
