Belle Park site cleaning to begin Wednesday

Community members near Belle Park will notice an increase in work crews and equipment activity in the area beginning Wednesday, Nov. 6 as cleanup of the site begins. The 1.25-hectare area was closed on Sept. 27 by the City of Kingston due to the health risks presented by garbage and a rodent infestation. That infestation is successfully managed allowing for cleanup and restoration of the area to start.

Leading up to the Sept. 27, closure people previously sheltering in the encampment next to the ICH and Consumption Treatment Services (CTS) retrieved personal belongings from the area with support from Addiction & Mental Health Services (AMHS), Kingston Community Health Centres (KCHC), the City of Kingston and Kingston Police. Safe and secure off-site storage for other belongings identified by individuals was offered.

Site cleanup activities starting on Nov. 6 include removing garbage and debris, adding clean topsoil and hydroseeding (grass seeding). Fencing will remain in place to allow crews to undertake this work and ensure the newly planted grass seed can get established and begin growing in the spring. Residents are asked to respect the perimeter fencing and stay safely away from work crews and equipment during the cleanup activities.

The City and other partners continue to work together and assist in connecting vulnerable people to indoor shelter and daytime services and facilitate storage and retrieval of belongings. The City also recognizes that vulnerable people may choose to shelter in other areas of Belle Park, or any municipal park overnight, and the emergency shelter system continues to have capacity.