Napanee talks homlessness

Public input shared, bylaws could be updated

The Town of Greater Napanee is taking significant steps towards updating its park bylaws and encampment protocols following a month-long consultation. 

The initiative attracted over 1,300 visitors to the town's consultation page, with around 550 residents participating in the survey. Additionally, about 300 community members attended a public meeting at the Best and Bash Center, and 220 residents joined an information session on October 1st.

Notably, 25.2% of participants lived near encampment areas, and 17% had personal experience with homelessness.

When sharing the findings from the surveys, CAO Matthew Grant shared a reminder that "recent court decisions have indicated that in a community, such as ours, where you don't have enough shelter space or housing to accommodate everyone, people have the constitutional right to shelter themselves."

Key findings from the consultation indicate a preference for limiting encampments to three tents and designating Conservation Park as an off-limits area. Nearly 60% of residents supported installing sharps containers, garbage cans, and portable restrooms in encampment zones to improve safety and cleanliness.

During council discussions, concerns were raised about potential shifts of encampments to Springside Park. Councillor Bill Martin shared his concerns,

Moving forward, town staff will incorporate this feedback into an updated encampment and parks bylaw for future council consideration. The goal is to create a balanced approach that addresses community concerns while ensuring that vulnerable populations have access to necessary resources.