Achi news desk-
A Cambridge councilor has withdrawn a motion asking the city to find a solution to a parking dispute that prevented a community health van from being parked outside the Bridges shelter.
Sanguen has been parking the vehicle on Market Street, near the shelter, since 2017. It provides medical care, food and harm reduction supplies to vulnerable members of our community.
They stopped parking near the shelter after the city cited safety concerns and prompted Councilman Scott Hamilton’s request to help Sanguan find a solution.
If he did not withdraw, it would be voted on by Cambridge next week.
“I was told very quickly that homelessness, addictions, mental health issues, those are under the jurisdiction of Waterloo Region,” Hamilton told CTV News.
He’s glad his proposal sparked a conversation, but admits there’s nothing else he can do because the issue is now in the hands of the region.
“I hope that this problem is resolved as soon as possible and that these mobile health care providers can access the core … because we know that there are residents out there who desperately need help, who are currently not getting it,” Hamilton added.
Sanguan responds
Julie Klebfleisch, of the Sanguen Health Center, supports Hamilton’s decision to withdraw the request and appreciates his efforts to resolve the situation.
In a statement on Sanguen’s website, the organization said: “The City of Cambridge’s lack of accountability in this matter demonstrates a lack of support for services provided to the homeless population. Otherwise, we believe the parking issue could have been resolved collaboratively, as has been the case at other stations both in Cambridge and across the region when problems arose”.
Clubfleish believes that more could have been done on the part of the municipality.
“I think the thing that was missing was that there was no experience or willingness to help us find a solution,” she said.
Hamilton hopes the city is listening.
“It doesn’t make me feel great if a service provider that’s doing a great job says we need to step it up.
If this is the case, we should listen to them, think critically and do everything we can to improve,” he said.
Clubfleish calls the work Sangoan does, in terms of community outreach, imperative.
“We’re talking about people who have often experienced isolation or disconnection, but still have very complex health issues that require attention,” she said.
Although the van will no longer park near the bridges – it will still be out in the community.
“We continue to provide service to Cambridge at two other locations – the food bank location and then a new location that we just started in the last month or so in Preston,” explained Clubfleish.
The City of Cambridge responds
According to the City of Cambridge, it met with Sanguen to discuss their concerns and options.
“[The city] Encouraged Sanguen to explore options for parking that complies with city bylaws and creates a safe environment for their customers,” the statement said in part, from a Cambridge spokesperson.
They added that the city has no jurisdiction over the operation of the community health van but say they receive ongoing complaints that the van visually blocks drivers.
“This, combined with a high volume of foot traffic from customers to the van, creates a major safety concern for everyone in this area,” the statement continued. “Also, if there is an emergency that requires access to an emergency vehicle, the van will impair the ability of emergency vehicles to respond to this area.”
