Bellingham to begin cleaning up controversial campground after years of complaints

BELLINGHAM, Washing, — The city of Bellingham will begin cleanup efforts next week at a large campground on East Stuart Road following years of complaints from residents about violence and crime.

“They keep lighting campfires and burning everything, plasticizing everything, it’s getting pretty bad,” said Kelly Todd, who lives in Tullwood Apartments near the camp. “We hear gunshots all the time, I heard one last week, I heard a few the week before that,” Todd said, adding that the area is plagued with crime.

Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund said the city is committed to cleaning up the campground following extensive litigation with the property owner. He said the cleanup will be a multi-phase effort.

However, some residents are concerned about possible violence during the cleanup.

Amy Towner, former property manager at Tullwood Apartments, said: “There’s a lot of people with guns, so if anyone thinks the police are going to say ‘let’s move on’ and they’re going to move forward without a fight and there won’t be any gunfire and there won’t be any problems, they’re very prepared for that.” They need to be.”

A camp resident who identified himself as Mac said he felt they were misrepresented. “This happened suddenly and some of us can’t get out of it and we’re stuck,” he said. Mac expressed a desire for more support from the city, saying, “They don’t give us any resources or anything like ultimatums or where we can go next, they just keep kicking us from one forest to another.”

Mayor Lund stated that the municipality is working to help those living in the camps to shelter and that the cleaning process will take time. Crews plan to clear and fence the area, but some residents worry the camp will return.

“They need to have a safe place to go too. So I don’t know how easy that’s going to be,” Todd said.

The city is seeking grants to help fund the cleanup, and the property owner of Tullwood Apartments is also expected to contribute financially.