A forewarned eviction of homeless people living in a long-standing encampment in Vancouver’s CRAB Park went ahead on Thursday.
Park rangers began dismantling the tents in the early afternoon, hours after giving final notice to the remaining residents, and weeks after the Vancouver Park Board announced plans to close the “temporary designated area” where 24-hour camping has been allowed since 2022.
“I’m defeated. Defeated. Plainly defeated,” three-year park resident Sacha Christiano told CTV News on Wednesday. “That’s the best way to put it. I don’t know any other avenue that’s available to make this point to anybody else.”
The process started slowly, with three of the six remaining residents being evicted over the first several hours of the decampment.
“Obviously we are taking our time with this so we give folks the time they need to pack down,” said Steve Jackson, the park board’s general manager.
But the city’s intention …