A Drayton Valley mayoral candidate wants to shut down a homeless camp, but the town’s outgoing mayor calls the idea irresponsible.
This week, Cecile Shewfelt checked out a homeless camp near the town’s recycling center. She had heard about it, but wanted to see it for herself.
“It was a mess; there was pails and bottles and boards and cans,” said Shewfelt, a mayoral candidate.
“There was lots of guys in there milling about and going about their business like it was where they live and what they do.”
A picture taken by mayoral candidate Cecile Shewfelt shows a homeless camp on private land with the landowner’s consent. (Cecile Shewfelt)
Shewfelt posted pictures of the camp on her campaign’s Facebook page. It’s generated several comments, with many people wondering how the camp exists.
The Town of Drayton Valley is aware of the camp, but it’s on private property with the consent of the land owner,
“We have bylaws in town that say you have to mow your grass. You can’t leave vehicles of ill repair or parked [in] your yard. You can’t park your fifth wheel out front.” Shewfelt told CBC News. “I know it’s on private property but why would the town allow that? It’s got to be a health issue. It’s got to be a safety issue.”
‘These are people first’
Glenn McLean, Drayton Valley’s outgoing mayor, said the town’s hands are tied unless the RCMP or Alberta Health shut the camp down.
McLean said he was discouraged by Shewfelt’s Facebook post.
“In my view, it was irresponsible to do that,” McLean said. “It constitutes both an invasion of privacy as well as human dignity.
“What that does is distract from the essential humanity of the issue. These are people first. This is not a spectacle.”
Cecile Shewfelt would like to see a homeless camp shut down, and is engaging with residents to come up with a solution. (Cecile Shewfelt)
Shewfelt said she doesn’t regret the post, despite the mayor’s opinion.
“Anybody that’s driven by there says, ‘Oh my goodness, what is the mess that’s over there?” Shewfelt said.
“I feel really bad for those people — honestly I do. But you have to remember sometimes it’s by choice. It’s where they want to be. There’s lots of programs and help available. Have they taken that help? I don’t know,” she said.
“I think that the more that we tolerate these little group camps they’ve got set up, I think we’re inviting the problem. I think that we have to provide them with some alternatives; whether that’s relocating them to the city where there’s proper facilities for them; whether it’s helping them do some drug addiction counselling, I don’t know what the answers are.”
Need for transitional housing
McLean said candidates should focus on transitional housing instead of shutting down the camp as a short-term solution.
Outgoing mayor Glenn McLean says he would rather candidates focus on creating a transitional housing program instead of shutting down a homeless camp. (Town of Drayton Valley)
He said the town has struggled with homelessness over the past few years.
Drayton Valley has a federally funded homelessness and poverty reduction coordinator. Clients are given stays in hotels for a few days, or the mat program which provides a mat and bedding for a one-night stay.
“When the economy was stronger, it was not at all unusual for people to have a job when they came to Drayton Valley but could not find a place to live,” McLean said. “The rental accommodation was extremely scarce and rents were robust.”