REGINA - Regina City Manager Niki Anderson has issued a statement Friday announcing the homeless encampment in front of City Hall has been decommissioned.
In a statement Anderson said fencing will be temporarily installed around the green areas of the Courtyard and along the east and west sides of City Hall while cleanup is undertaken. She adds the temporary fencing will remainuntil property repairs can be completed, and that City Hall will reopen to residents Monday.
The following is the statement in full from the City Manager:
“In response to an imminent risk of loss of life due to fire, the encampment on the City Hall Courtyard has now been decommissioned. For public safety, fencing will be temporarily installed around the green areas of the Courtyard and along the east and west sides of City Hall while cleanup is undertaken. The temporary fencing will remain in place until property repairs can be completed. City Hall will reopen to residents on Monday during regular business hours, and access to the front doors will be available from Victoria Avenue.
“I’d like to thank Fire Chief Layne Jackson for prioritizing public safety in the midst of an incredibly complex situation. I am convinced his decision has saved lives. As the City’s Administrative leader, I also want to emphasize the legislated separation of powers that allowed Chief Jackson to act urgently in response to an imminent public safety risk. Three fires at the encampment in less than a week established that camp residents faced imminent risk. Two more fires today provided more evidence that decommissioning the camp was absolutely necessary. I am deeply concerned by the public comments of at least one elected official, who claims that today’s life-saving actions are an affront to the democratic process. To be clear, today’s public safety action falls well within the provincially legislated authority of the City’s Fire Chief. Elected officials who claim they should have been consulted about today’s response are, in fact, placing the public at greater risk by inappropriately challenging public safety experts and eroding confidence in my Administration’s ability to protect the residents of the City of Regina.”
