By Guy Page
The City of Burlington plans to remove the Battery Street homeless encampment people, property, and debris by next week, a spokesperson for Mayor Miro Weinberger said.
City workers are helping people relocate now, the spokesperson said. Property and debris will be removed next week.
The city’s historic public park overlooking Lake Champlain has become a semi-permanent landing ground for scores of homeless people. Tents are erected in and nearby the park.
This afternoon, acting on a newstip, the Burlington Daily News contacted Samantha Sheehan, an aide and spokesperson for Weinberger. She was asked about the pending removal of the homeless population from the park. Sheehan replied:
“We have a team of City staff working closely together on the Battery street encampment removal which includes BPD, Parks, and DPW. Notices were posted last week and BPD CSL’s (Community Service Liaison officers) are working to engage the people camping there and connect them to shelter and other services.
“The removal of property and debris will likely happen next week, to accommodate changing weather conditions and to ensure the removal is safe and supportive for the people living without shelter and the City staff who are working with them.”
Burlington Police Department declined to comment, instead recommending BDN contact the mayor’s office.