By Susan Z. Martin. Originally published in the Fairfield Gonzales Observer in September 2022
When the pandemic struck in Victoria it became impossible for most of us to ignore the problem of homelessness any longer. As shelters were forced to reduce occupancy due to COVID social distancing restrictions and those precariously housed found themselves homeless due to a myriad of reasons, downtown streets and parks became filled with tents and makeshift shelters.
I became involved in supporting the unhoused in October 2020 when the Fairfield Gonzales Support for the Unhoused (FGSU) had its beginnings. This was all new to me; I’m more than a bit embarrassed to reveal that until FGSU got its start I had no idea that half of Beacon Hill Park is in Fairfield. And to my greater shame I was one of those people who tended to scuttle by unhoused people with my eyes downcast and pretending not to hear whatever they were saying – even if it was a cheery “Hello, how are you?”.
But something changed when I was at Gonzales Park one day and I saw a couple of people looking at the sign that explained where sheltering would be allowed in the park. I remember mentioning to folks at FGCA that I thought we needed to get out ahead of this because it was likely going to be divisive. This was the impetus for me to join FGSU, which started out as a loose group of housed neighbours who would meet once a week on Zoom as well as go into the parks – mostly Beacon Hill Park – regularly. Other neighbours – like those in North Park, James Bay and Fernwood – were also supporting people sheltering outdoors in their neighbourhoods; Central Park, Irving Park (as well as Beacon Hill Park) and Stadacona Park respectively. For the larger group the main motivation to forming FGSU was to support our fellow human beings in this perfect storm of awful circumstances.
For several months we continued to meet on Zoom each and every Wednesday, only changing to meetings every two weeks in July of 2021. In June of 2021 we also changed our name to Neighbourhood Solidarity with Unhoused Neighbours (NSUN) to recognize that we were not limited to the Fairfield Gonzales neighbourhoods and in June 2022 we resumed meeting in person. Today, in the fall of 2022, we still go out to the parks regularly and try to support those sheltering there by bringing them material support (tents, sleeping bags, food, clothing), advocating for them if they want us to and simply being in community with them. We also try to stay in touch with those that we know who have moved into shelters/hotels though this is challenging because of security at these facilities.
As a group, NSUN is concerned with what will happen this fall and winter. We know anecdotally, though stats are hard to come by, that many lower income housed people are falling into homelessness in Victoria’s incredibly challenging rental market. Additionally, climate change makes extreme weather more likely which makes sheltering in tents even more unpleasant and in some cases downright dangerous (in January 2021 a large tree fell in Stadacona Park narrowly missing a camper’s tent). There might also be a surge in COVID that may force shelters to reduce numbers again.
In preparation for the season, we welcome your donations of either sheltering items (tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads) or funds to purchase these (canadahelps.org/en/dn/6848 and select ‘Supporting unhoused people in the community’). We’d also love to have you join NSUN. Contact event@fairfieldcommunity.ca to hear about our next meeting date and location.
Neighbourhood Solidarity with Unhoused Neighbours 