Coun. Stephen Andrew took issue with Isitt’s behaviour, calling it “offensive” to Victoria residents. “I wonder if there is any rules that are in order if people are joining remotely that they actually be focused on this meeting and not doing other work, because I cannot understand how you can be wandering around the city and also be attuned to this council meeting,” Andrew said at the end of Thursday’s meeting. Isitt said in an interview he chose to participate in the committee meeting while “passively observing” installation of the tent. “In retrospect, I probably should have just given the committee meeting a pass, but there was a contractor on site and I considered that I could follow the meeting while just being on site,” he said.
Shea Perkins helped set up the original community care tent, which was removed from Beacon Hill Park by bylaw officers in November because it lacked the proper permits. He said Monday it’s a huge relief to have a legitimate location so volunteers can focus on providing services for people without homes.
“We can stop focusing on fighting and start focusing on creating,” he said, as he and volunteer Anthony Bryan set up a second tent where electric heaters can provide warmth to people. The tent serves as a donation centre and provides food, water and harm-reduction services.
Located at the southeast corner of Beacon Hill Park, Perkins said the warming tent is about as far away as possible from people sheltering in the park.
A City of Victoria proposal to erect a community warming tent on Avalon Street, to provide services to people sheltering in Beacon Hill Park, has rankled James Bay residents who say the tent will . . .
A City of Victoria proposal to erect a community warming tent on Avalon Street, to provide services to people sheltering in Beacon Hill Park, has rankled James Bay residents who say the tent will . . .