[news] Squat goes public in Nelson

[resist admin]

----Forwarded Message-----
From: classwar-van <classwar-van at ziplip.com>
To: vanarchy at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [vanarchy] Squat goes public in Nelson
Date: 22 May 2003 11:34:59 -0700

Squat goes public in Nelson
by Michelle Mungall  Wednesday May 21, 2003 at 09:40 PM
junipertree at netidea.com
http://vancouver.indymedia.org/news/2003/05/48360.php

Young and homeless people in Nelson BC bring their issues public at this
the Front St. Squat.

Nelson is a small West Kootenay city where the word community has solid
meaning. People here not only help our neighbours, but are politically
activated. High voter turn-out, regular rallies, demonstrations and
protests, and vociferous residents are all a part of Nelson. So really, it
was about time when some of the homeless young people in the community
decided to stop being a statistic on a piece of paper. Rather than
continue as underground folks who try to find somewhere to crash each
night, they made their faces and their issue public. They squatted in a
house owned by our Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK). 808 Front
St. Squat became public on Friday, May 9, 2003.

Since then, the squat has survived on a day-by-day basis. After an
afternoon of cleaning the house and planting a garden, squatters received
news that they may be forced to leave within the next 24 hours if an
injunction were to go through.

However, the injunction wasnt served until Tuesday, May 13. After
receiving the injunction, squatters were faced with a legal challenge in a
city 12 hours away. The RDCK had gone through Victoria courts to get the
injunction, and it was Victoria that squatters would have to go to delay
enforcement of the injunction and transfer the case to Nelson. One of the
people staying at 808 Front St. was able to catch a ride to Victoria to
address the legal situation. The results were a ten-day term so that the
defense can mount a case and bring it to court in Nelson.

Since May 9th, other people staying at the squat have made presentations
to Nelson City Council and the RDCK at their regular meetings. Josh Garvin
spoke about the realities of homelessness, its causes in this rural area,
and the squats impact on people in the community over the past week. At
the Nelson City Council meeting, Garvin asked the City to turn on the
water, as the house has both hydro and heating, but lacks running water.
Although the City is unable to turn on the water unless requested by the
property owner, the City continues to work with squatters through the
Council liaison for youth and homeless issues, Michelle Mungall.

At the RDCK Saturday meeting, Directors referred the matter to an
in-camera decision. Originally, the RDCK bought the property for the
specific purpose of expanding the Aquatic Centre that is next to the
house. In the meantime, the house has been vacant while waiting
demolishing or removal. Hans Cunningham, RDCK Board Chair commented that
the RDCK options are limited, as they are not permitted by law to purchase
property without a specified purpose. Legally, RDCK must live up to that
purpose, and the house will have to be removed in the short-term. What to
do with the house in the meantime is still up for discussion.

The response from the Nelson community has been, for the most part,
positive and supportive of the squatters initiative. Regular donations of
food, water, clothing, laundry, toiletries, and kitchen items have been
pouring in over the past week. People at the squat have responded by
cooking three daily community meals and welcoming travelers, often
referred to as the transient homeless population, to stay for a night or
two. There is also an info bulletin board for people stopping by to learn
more about what people are doing at the house. While many have stated
their concerns with the partying they see at the house, people in the
house contend that it is better for them to party in the house than on the
streets.