In the midst of the trees along Trepanier Creek just above Peachland, a squatter encampment has been ballooning in size over the past year.
“It’s just getting out of control,” said Julie Gette, who lives in the area. “I think we’ve counted over 37 people up there right now,” along with 20 or so of their RV trailers and numerous tents and tarp-covered structures.
The dwellers have hauled in furniture and all kinds of equipment onto the site, which is in the Upper Trepanier Bench area.
Some of the squatters have hoses appearing to be drawing water from the creek.
There are boats and vehicles propped up on jack stands and trailers full of garbage along with piles of car tires.
“It’s gotten really dirty and gross,” said Kyle Gette, another area resident.
It’s raising some serious concerns, including potential wastewater and sewage contamination in what local signage says is a sensitive watershed area.
“There’s lots of our neighbours that do feed off that creek so it is concerning,” Julie Gette said. “We have a lot of neighbours now that will be getting their well tested.”
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Residents who live in the area are also concerned about the increased risk of wildfire.
“We’re not allowed to put a wood stove in our house but they all have makeshift wood stoves coming out of their trailers. It’s a concern,” said Kyle Gette.
“We live in fire country. We’re in a high risk fire area.”
Frustrated residents want the site, which is on provincial Crown land, cleaned up.
They have been calling on various levels of government and agencies to act, but they say what they have been getting is a whole lot of jurisdictional finger-pointing.
“Everybody’s wiping their hands clean of it and it doesn’t matter where we turn or where we go. They’re like, it’s not our responsibility, it’s somebody else’s responsibility, ” said an area resident, who wished to remain anonymous.
Late Thursday, the provincial government responded to a Global News request for information.
It stated in part, “The Natural Resource Officer Service (NROS) is aware of the individuals on Crown land near Trepanier Creek.”
It added that the “NROS has been informed that the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction has plans to attend the site in the next month to meet with people and discuss additional supports or services that may be provided.”
“I know it’s hard times and so, like, we can’t be too hard on people but at the same time, I definitely don’t want to see this situation escalating,” said the area resident who did not want to be identified.
People in B.C. are allowed to camp on Crown land in one location but only for up to 14 days.
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