RCMP USE CHICKEN DUNG TO REPEL HOMELESS

The City of Surrey and RCMP lined a Whalley social service building
with chicken dung to keep homeless and vagrants away, The Leader has learned.

On Aug. 14, witnesses saw City of Surrey staff pull up to the Front
Room Drop In Centre in the 10600-block of 135A Street and line the
building with putrid poultry manure. The desired effect was to create
a smell so repugnant that it would repel vagrants who were hanging
out around the building.

Keith Smith was touring the drop in centre and surrounding services
on Thursday as part of his schooling in drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

He was astounded to see and smell the chicken dung around the
building. And he was shocked to hear from front line staff that it
was city crews and RCMP that put it there to deter the homeless from settling.

"The stench of the chicken manure in the surrounding area is
unbearable," Smith said in a letter to Mayor Dianne Watts.

"If the South Fraser Community Services (which runs the Front Room)
were located strategically as a front line service to aid recovery of
people in the active disease of addiction, why would the City of
Surrey spread chicken manure along the perimeter of the vacant, rock
covered lot, which separates the two South Fraser Community Service
buildings?" Smith asked. "Our neighbors in Vancouver seem to have a
little better approach to the problem of dealing with the disease of
substance abuse."

One local on 135 Street said on Saturday that there were at least two
visits by city trucks dumping the manure in the area. There is also
evidence of the same substance on the base of large trees in the park
west of the Surrey Food Bank on 135 Street.

Coun. Barinder Rasode said the manure plan was hatched by the Mounties.

"Our understanding is the RCMP initiated it," said Rasode, who was
"deeply troubled" by the strategy.

An e-mail to the mayor from Deputy City Manager Dan Bottrill says
that "Surrey RCMP initiated this in order to dissuade individuals
from loitering against the buildings bordering the lot."

Rasode insists elected officials did not know about the initiative.

"Mayor and council were not aware, senior management were not aware,"
Rasode said Friday night.

"I think this is a very unfortunate incident," said Rasode, who is
asking that the manure be removed right away.

While "senior" management may not have been aware, Smith said it was
city trucks that delivered the manure and city crews that spread it
out alongside the building.

Rasode could not say whether the green and white trucks with the city
logo were parks staff or engineering crews.

Smith said he heard of several other buildings in North Surrey that
have been sprinkled with the stenchy soil to keep vagrants away.

"I'm personally outraged," Rasode said. "I think this is contrary to
the position we've taken on the homeless."

Rasode said the city trying to find out who came up with the plan.

"Somebody has overstepped their authority," Rasode said.

Mayor Dianne Watts said she was "flabbergasted" to hear of the
chicken dung directive.

"I'm certainly going to get to the bottom of this," said Watts,
adding it's disgusting and a health hazard.

Bottrill's e-mail to Watts says the area businesses and local
business improvement association were in favour of the plan.

That doesn't make it right, said Watts.

The Downtown Surrey BIA offices were closed Friday night and could
not be reached for comment.

The RCMP were unable to comment on the incident, but Friday night's
duty officer was looking into it.