Dear Editor:
We are all aware that the tent/homeless encampment at Rainbow Park in Sarnia’s south end is an embarrassment, an eyesore, unsanitary and a true inconvenience to those tax paying citizens and homeowners in the area.
I believe we are all adult enough to know this homeless crisis is not going to go away soon and that an interim stop-gap solution is sorely required.
Here is a proposed “path forward” with perhaps some out-of-the-box thinking. Arrange to meet with the players in Peterborough, Ont., that have moved ahead with their homeless. Return to Sarnia with their lessons learned in your tool box.
Move the encampment away from any public park and onto city or county owned land. Give our homeless a modicum of dignity.
For consideration:
1) Engage the campers and have them form their own “committee” of sorts to monitor sanitation, trash collection and “security.” This would not be perfect and would need be under the guidance of the existing agencies already in a support roll.
2) Provide trash bins, hand washing stations, porta-potties and a shower trailer(s) similar to what is routinely provided our tradesmen on construction sites across the city and province.
3) Provide sharps disposal containers.
4) Provide a tented cooling station in the encampment for the hot weather / warmth in the cold weather.
5) Continue and step up police patrols on a regular basis
Assuming Rainbow Park is there to stay until a more suitable location is found, we must give the neighbours some security and peace of mind for their children to use the playground.
a) Provide 30 - 40 meter wide open space east of the existing tents.
b) Install temporary construction privacy fencing along the east side of the encampment with an access point at the north and south ends.
Sarnia-Lambton is well known to be able to pull together in fundraising events. While this topic may not draw a large gathering, I am sure wallets and purses can be pried open given the effort. Perhaps reserve city/county funds can be allocated to cover a portion of the costs.
None of the above is intended to be a permanent solution. Yet, I believe, it improves on what we know to be a sad and sorry reflection in where we as society currently find ourselves.
Marcel Clement