Kingston Belle Park cleanup begins Wednesday

The City of Kingston will begin cleanup efforts on Wednesday at Belle Park, where a homeless camp has been set up for more than four years.

The city says residents in the area will notice an increase in work crews and equipment activity. 1.25 hectare area Closed by the city on September 27 due to health risks from litter and rodent infestation.

“Site clearing activities that will begin on November 6 include removing trash and debris, adding clean topsoil, and hydroseeding (grass planting). Fences will remain in place to allow crews to undertake this work and allow the newly planted grass seeds to establish and begin to grow in the spring.” ” said the city.

Residents are asked to respect perimeter fencing and stay away from work crews and equipment during cleanup activities.

A group of homeless people had been living in the area since 2020.

one in september person was attacked and killed Two people were injured and another was injured at the campsite, prompting aggressive calls to disband the camp.

The city said there were no longer any individuals living in the camp after fencing was erected around the area during the September shutdown. The city says people housed at the camp got their belongings back with the support of mental health services, the Kingston Community Health Center, the city and police.

Other items identified by individuals were offered the opportunity to be stored safely and securely off-site.

The city says it continues to work with community services to help vulnerable people get to shelters and make it easier to pick up their belongings.

“The City also recognizes that vulnerable individuals may choose to seek shelter overnight in other areas of Belle Park or any municipal park and that the emergency shelter system continues to have capacity,” the city said.

The municipality did not make any statement about how long the cleaning would take or when the area would be opened to the public.