Cobourg community groups seek discussion on homelessness and parks usage

Homelessness encampment. By Milan Cobanov. Free Use Domain. Unsplash.

By: Dan Jones, Northumberland 89.7 FM News, Local Journalism Initiative.

Five community groups in Cobourg have penned an open letter to Mayor Lucas Cleveland, attempting to de-escalate the discussion regarding drugs, addictions and homelessness, as Cobourg recently provided the opportunity for public feedback on the draft parks master plan.

“By now many of you may have seen or heard the disturbing language embedded in the so-called proposed Parks Master Plan. I have received countless emails and phone calls from concerned citizens and rightfully so,” Cleveland said in a June 5 statement.

He is concerned that parks will be used as encampments for homeless people and encourage open-air drug use where potentially harmful syringes could be left on the ground, where it could be harmful to the public. Cobourg has a history of encampments, especially at the former Brookside Youth facility before the opening of an emergency shelter a few years ago.

“While this Plan does not view encampments as a long-term solution to houselessness, it affirms access to housing as a fundamental human right,” the draft plan said. “Unhoused individuals may choose encampments over available emergency shelters for a number of reasons including concerns about safety and violence in shelters, restrictive rules, and a desire for autonomy, personal space, and a sense of community belonging.”

The draft plan calls for the installation of safe syringe containers in parks.

“We can never ever allow these seeds of chaos to return to Cobourg. This certainly includes through possible back door maneuvers like this proposed park plan meant as a guide for the next term of Council to follow,” Cleveland stated. I will be accused of fear mongering...that is exactly what I am doing. This plan as written is to me beyond frightening for Cobourg’s long-term future.”

Yet Alicia Vandine, Executive Director of the United Way Northumberland and similar advocacy agencies countered Cleveland’s argument stating that Cobourg’s emergency shelter is nearly at capacity nightly and some people are turned away for different reasons, forcing homeless people into parks.

As well, having syringe disposal installed in parks is good public health prevention.

“Cobourg’s parks are public spaces — for all members of the public. People experiencing homelessness are members of this community. They pay taxes when they can, they have families here, they have histories here. Many of them grew up in this town. The Parks Master Plan includes them not to turn parks into campgrounds, as you suggest, but because any responsible stewardship of public space must account for all the people who use it,” stated the group’s response.

Green Wood Coalition, Northumberland Community Legal Centre, Rebound Child & Youth Services, and Transition House Coalition of Northumberland are the other agencies represented in the open letter.

“There is no simple solution to our current housing and homelessness crisis. We know it will only be through working together as a community that we will be able to make headway toward a Cobourg where everyone is cared for and safe. We invite Mayor Cleveland, and any member of Council to meet with our Homelessness Leadership Table to discuss the next steps in this important journey.”