The Town of Smithers is holding a public meeting on March 27th about an upcoming amendment to the parks and open spaces bylaw.
The amendment allows temporary overnight sheltering locations on town land, which a legal review brought up after finding the bylaw needs to be updated.
Currently, there is an encampment beside Veterans Park, which Smithers Mayor Gladys Atrill said in a Facebook post neighbouring businesses have requested it is relocated elsewhere in the town.
She added that the town is legally required to have a place for overnight sheltering on town land.
The current locations in consideration for overnight sheltering are:
- Land adjacent to Veterans Park, current location
- Heritage Park
- Elk’s Park
- 19th Avenue site beside Suds n’ Bay
- Dogwood Park
- Ranger Park
- Tatlow Road North site
- Fall Fair Grounds
- Central Park
- Riverside Park
- Queen Street and Alfred Avenue corner site
- 3873 4th Avenue
You can read more about the bylaw amendment and site locations here.