Strathcona Park reopens to public as officials remove tent city barricades

Park Board officials say the fencing around the siteof a former sprawling tent cityon Vancouver's East Side will start coming down over the next few daysand is reopento the publicafter a long occupation by the city's disenfranchised homeless population.

In an email Tuesday, officials saidfence removal in Strathcona Parkis expected totake a few days to complete, though the park will be open to the public immediately as the work progresses.

Visitors will be able to safely access the park pathways, outdoor track, off-leash dog area, including the Cottonwood community gardens, according to the board's general manager, Donnie Rosa.

"We know this park is integral to the community, and we are pleased that this will once again be a space to socialize and connect with one another," said Rosa.

"We also know that a lot has happened here, which is why we have worked closely with Indigenous and community partners to ensure we were providing the extra care needed to treat the land."

Residents of the East Vancouver neighbourhood hadbeen callingfor an end to the tent city following several violent incidents.

Once such incident in February, ended with thearrest ofa tent city occupant, in connection with the death of a 78-year-old womanafter she wasbrutally attacked in her residence during a home invasion.

By May, officials had moved 184 people out of theencampment in accordance with an order issued in April to remove all existing tents, temporary shelters and structures.

The park was then closed for remediation once the encampments had been removed.

Crews began removing turf and gravel surface areas,replacing, levelling and maintaining the fields, as well as replanting damaged trees.

The park board said the all-weather sports fieldwill also reopen for permitted activities and that user groups can start bookingsessionsin November.

It said all other sports fields in the park will remain closed toorganized play to allowthe new turf to take root.