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Camping outside City Hall will lead to revised service on November 11
A commemoration ceremony on November 11 at the Abbotsford Cenotaph will be changed due to the adjacent encampment outside City Hall.
A statement from the Royal Canadian Legion on Monday (Nov. 4) described the situation as “regrettable.”
“This is far from what we had hoped for in order to allow the citizens of Abbotsford to pay their respects at the cenotaph,” the Legion said.
“For veterans, the cenotaph is considered sacred ground, just as we do in cemeteries with the Field of Honor. Veterans believe that the presence of the drug-related homeless camp demeans that sanctity and must be addressed.”
This year’s memorial service at Thunderbird Memorial Square – on the border of the camp – will be limited to those marching in the parade, veterans and dignitaries who will lay wreaths.
The event will be streamed live on the city’s website, and anyone who planned to pay their respects at the cenotaph can do so at the Rotary Stadium.
The encampment has been in place since June 29 and was the subject of recent legal proceedings after the city issued a notice of violation on September 19.
Judge Sandra Sukstorf announced her ruling on October 17, stating that the encampment cannot continue to exist, but that the city must take a “phased approach” to reducing and relocating residents.
Sukstorf said among the conditions the city must meet in dismantling the camp are storing and protecting individuals’ belongings for free for up to six months, avoiding demolishing shelters when residents are absent, and assisting of the residents during the move.
Additionally, the justice said that displacement should only occur “when adequate shelter options are available, including access to harm reduction services.”
City spokesperson Aletta Vanderheyden said Friday (Nov. 1) that the city continues to work with service providers and BC Housing to implement Judge Sukstorf’s requirements.
She said there were 36 tents on the property on the day of the court ruling and that number has not changed “despite BC Housing and social service providers being on site every day to ensure residents have shelter and housing. ”
In its statement, the Legion said the city has taken steps to protect the cenotaph, but there are ongoing concerns about the area around it, “which may be contaminated with drug paraphernalia and other toxic objects.”
The statement added that “the veteran community is fully aware of the issues surrounding drug use and the difficulties they cause.”
The Abbotsford Drug War Survivors – the group representing residents – have referred to the camp as a protest and called on the city to set aside municipal land for unhoused people.
Abbotsford News has contacted the city for further comment and details about the service.
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