Region implements 24-hour security at Victoria Street encampment
Posted Aug 4, 2022 07:28:27 PM.
The Region of Waterloo has enhanced security at the site of a large encampment at 100 Victoria Street in Kitchener.
It comes as portable washrooms were dropped off on Thursday morning.
“The needs of the site at 100 Victoria have changed since the original decision was made in April to provide after-hours washroom access at St. John's Kitchen,” said Commissioner of Community Services, Peter Sweeney, in an e-mail statement. “In order to ensure the health and well-being of those on the site and in the surrounding area, portable washrooms were delivered to the site this morning.”
Sweeney said after-hours access to the washrooms at St. John's Kitchen, which is across the street from the encampment, will be discontinued as a result.
Additionally, the Region of Waterloo has now implemented 24-hour security at the site.
Sweeney said it's needed to facilitate the 'safe provision' of portable washrooms at the encampment, and is being done in response to ongoing concerns from nearby businesses and residents.
Residents of the encampment were initially ordered to leave the area back in June but many stayed. The region then submitted a lengthy application last month for a court order to clear the site. The matter isn't set to return to court until November.