Photo: Kate Bouey

Homeless are complying with a new bylaw to pack up in city parks by 9 a.m., says official.

These are early days, but a City of Vernon official says campers in Polson Park are complying with a new bylaw that forces them to pack up their tents each morning at 9 a.m.

“All of the people camping in Polson are complying with the bylaw,” said Tanya Laing Gahr, communications officer. “They are being cooperative, though it's difficult for some of them trying to pack up and transport their belongings.”

Laing Gahr said a census of the homeless camps has not been done in recent weeks and she could not say how many people were still sleeping rough. At last count, the city's bylaw department put the number at about three dozen campers in and around public areas.

B.C.'s courts have allowed camping in public places when there are no other places to sleep, so city council has opted to make it a bit tougher by limiting camping hours from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.

By that time of the morning, tenters have to pack up or lose their belongings to the bulldozer.

“It's a very vulnerable time for them so we're grateful to Upper Room Mission for providing storage space for many of the homeless,” said Laing Gahr.

Concern over what the homeless would do with their possessions prompted the URM to have several storage lockers built, with the help of local businesses who provided the material and the workers.

“We're trying to alleviate some stress for some people,” said Lisa Anderson of the URM.