Former St. Boniface pool now a ‘dangerous place,’ say residents

Article content

The long hot summer couldn’t have ended worse for residents living near Happyland Park because just before the long weekend they had an unwelcome addition to the neighbourhood. The benches and grounds around the fenced-off Happyland pool, shuttered by city council, is now a homeless encampment.

Article content

And that’s not the only one that popped up, as directly across Marion Street from the pool, another small encampment has taken over the banks of the Seine River, beside an appliance store.

Sandra Dupuis, a homeowner who has been outspoken in demanding the city maintain Happyland, told the Sun, “In the last two weeks people have been calling me, texting me with pictures and stopping me on my bike to tell me things are out of control again in our St. B., area. They are leaving their carts all over the lane and going into the field. One lady says they just keep coming and she’s scared to go outside to do yardwork or have her windows or door open.”

Photographs posted online show boxes, bins, bags, and crates of possessions lined up on and around Happyland park benches and tables. A smaller load of boxes and possessions were in the lot across the street beside St. Boniface Appliances.

Article content

Article content

“Since the closing of Happyland pool this will be the third encampment in the park,” said Dupuis,“ and now they are  right up-front and centre deterring customers from going to the appliance store and other small businesses.“

A representative from St. Boniface Appliances was asked if they had contacted the authorities and replied, “No I’m not and I’m staying out of it. They got to get rid of this. Thank you.”

Dupuis says that a documentary filming a story about the resident’s failed effort to have the city continue to fund the pool got more attention from city officials than the homeless camps.

“No sooner did we put up our sign for the documentary and two city workers showed up to take it down (off the pool fence). No city workers (were) in sight to take down either encampment. They were getting paid double time on the holiday and showed up in 5 minutes.”

Article content

A city spokesman told the Sun, ”We received reports of the noted encampments just yesterday and today. We do not remove any active encampments unless there is an immediate risk to public safety (such as propane tanks in the winter). As per our formal process, they will be referred to a designated support agency within 24 hours. In this case, the agency is St. Boniface Street Connections.”

Ward Councilor Matt Allard told the Sun he supports community safety through his support of Street Links and by advocating for housing projects.

Dupuis photographed a Main Street Project van at the park around 6.30 pm on Monday night. Asked to comment about when they learned of the camps and if steps are being taken to have the inhabitants relocated to housing, MSP Director of Development Anastasia Ziprick replied, “we will decline this time.”

Article content

Dupuis says homeowner confidence in the city’s commitment to keeping St. Boniface safe is circling the drain.

“People are starting to put for sale signs up because they see what is coming for the area. Not only could we not use a perfectly good pool with $86,882.50 raised by community, now we cannot even enjoy the park or take the kids there. The park is an unkempt weed-infested dangerous place.”

On Thursday afternoon, Dupuis said, both encampments had moved but still present public safety concerns for the park and general neighbourhood, after seemingly amalgamating one block north of Marion on the riverbank of the Seine at Doucet Street.    

— Marty Gold is a Winnipeg journalist. You can find more of his work at The Great Canadian Talk Show.

Have thoughts on what’s going on in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada or across the world? Send us a letter to the editor at wpgsun.letters@kleinmedia.ca

Article content