Abandoned trailers removed, but encampment effects persist in Chilliwack River Valley

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Aikenhead says the Bench Forest Service Road trailer had been there since July 2022 and was recently burned on or around March 17-18. Aikenhead says it was supposed to have been removed by FLNR on February 1.

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An abandoned RV on New Borden Forest Service Road was reported by Aikenhead on November 18; he says it had been burned on or around January 15.

“Both of these fires were arson and they release a lot of toxic contaminants into a rather sensitive ecosystem,” Aikenhead said. “Things like this need to be dealt with in a timely manner, not months later.”

He says the cleanup efforts at New Borden Forest Service Road didn’t necessarily leave a pristine environment.

“I’d like to add that I visited the New Borden FSR site today and it’s far from pristine,” Aikenhead said. “Bits of plastic, chunks of fiberglass, melted metal and glass all over. They didn’t touch the large overgrown pile of drywall that I reported 4 years ago.”

He says there are still over a dozen vehicles producing a large amount of toxic debris in the Chilliwack River Valley. It’s unknown if occupied homeless encampments will be addressed. Chilliwack-Kent MLA Kelli Paddon previously said she hopes a supportive housing complex under construction west of Young Road will address the issue of homeless encampments in the Chilliwack River Valley.

“The remaining issues: 18 RVs (10 occupied), one tent (occupied), four abandoned vehicles, six structures, an industrial sized steel fuel or oil tank, and large amounts of debris at four sites,” Aikenhead said. “6.66% removed, 93.34% remaining, not including the debris at the four worst sites.”

Aikenhead says there are now encampments growing behind and around On the Way Store, located at 46484 Chilliwack Lake Road, a popular store for campers and motorists on their way to the Chilliwack River Valley, Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park, or other campsites along Chilliwack Lake Road.

“Due to the report of another fire this evening in the area around the On the Way Store in a homeless camp, it’s going to take a large tragedy to get the government agencies to do anything about this situation,” Aikenhead said. “Bandaid anyone?”