Logan City Council padlocks public showers used Eagleby homeless community

Members of an established homeless community say they’re being treated as outcasts after a move by a local council they describe as “inhumane”, as the council behind the move offers its explanation for the move.

A Queensland council has locked an established homeless community out of public showers without warning, in a decision described by support workers as “ruthless and inhumane”.

Homeless community members who live at Oliver Sports Complex in Eagleby, south of Brisbane, have pleaded with Logan City Council to “stop treating us like outcasts”.

Council officers padlocked the public showers on Friday and had been removing or turning off public taps around the complex over the past couple of weeks, for a variety of reasons.

Homeless man Chris, who asked for his surname not to be published, has lived at the complex for five months and is a community leader.

Homeless man Chris, 60, at one of the locked showers at the Oliver Sports Complex in Eagelby. Picture: Liam Kidston

The 60-year-old has lived and worked in the area his entire life and chose to move out of permanent housing in 2019, a decision which he has no regrets about.

Chris said some public taps were turned off or removed over the past few weeks due to leaks or other maintenance issues, but then the showers were padlocked.

“Now there are limited areas where you can get water … anxiety and depression for everybody has gone through the roof,” he said.

“Everyone was already on edge, but to lose that basic thing of being able to have a shower is huge.”

“We have no public taps left, only the handwashing basins and taps at the toilets.

“Why won’t they give us a tap and let us use the showers? Stop treating us like outcasts.”

Homeless living at Oliver Sports Complex in Eagleby. Picture: Liam Kidston

Daniel Cinzio, from community homeless support organisation Beyond Barriers, said the Oliver Sports Complex had grown by 50 per cent in 18 months to 60 permanent residents, but at times, the numbers fluctuate as high as 100 people sleeping rough in the carpark.

Mr Cinzio said he got a call on Friday about the locked showers and had received no prior warning from the council.

“They [Logan City Council] need to actually communicate, these people are sitting here and next minute their showers and water are gone. It is ruthless, inhumane, and wrong,” he said.

Beyond Barriers managing director Daniel Cinzio talking with homeless living at Oliver Sports Complex. Picture: Liam Kidston

Mr Cinzio provides food, clothing, bedding, camping equipment, personal hygiene, and household goods to the homeless, and now has a steady stream of donations.

He said Logan City Council had commissioned a three-month process to design a new homelessness policy, which he had high hopes for.

“On the ground, there needs to be more compassion,” he said.

“I’ve seen policy run over people so badly. If the policy is not meeting the needs of the people, then let’s change the policy.

“I’ve been invited next week to bring a group of homeless support organisers to speak to council about the new policy, but I will also try to bring homeless people to tell their stories.”

The established homeless community at Eagleby. Picture: Liam Kidston

For those who call the Oliver Sports Complex carpark home, they are sharing their limited number of showers in their vans for the time being, and homelessness support organisation Orange Sky visits once a week with a van carrying showering and laundry facilities.

Community members said Department of Housing officers do visit and offer temporary accommodation to those who want it.

Members of the community say they’re being treated as outcasts. Picture: Liam Kidston

Mr Cinzio said there was a mixture of people who chose to leave permanent accommodation, and those who were given no choice.

Some residents had family members die in their previous homes – for a variety of reasons – and they can’t bring themselves to go back.

But others are mothers with their children fleeing domestic violence.

“It is a pressure bubble of being pushed here and pushed there,” Mr Cinzio said.

“They have been allowed to congregate here, they need somewhere to go.”

In a statement to The Courier-Mail, Logan City Council Mayor Jon Raven explained why the council had locked the showers, but emphasised that Oliver Sports Complex “is not designed to support or house people long-term”.

“Logan City Council takes a compassionate approach to the homeless people staying at Oliver Sports Complex,” the mayor said.

“The showers are locked as required to prevent them from falling into disrepair and to ensure they continue to be available for the use of local community groups, including a disability support service which meets at the centre each week.

“The toilets are open and there is water available.

“Recently, water at this park was turned off for two days for urgent plumbing repairs – the drains had become clogged with grease and other objects, due to people doing their dishes and laundry in the sinks.

“Once the repairs were completed the water was turned back on.

“Council is working hand in glove with local service organisations, the Logan YFS outreach service and the Queensland Government’s crisis response team, to provide help and information to those experiencing homelessness and where possible, assist those people to move into accommodation.”