Rough sleepers evicted from Brunswick St Oval grandstand, tent city torn down
Emotional scenes have played out at the Brunswick St Oval as rough sleepers were evicted and had their “tent city” ripped down, despite peacefully living at the grandstand for years.
VIC News
Don't miss out on the headlines from VIC News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A group of rough sleepers sheltering in Fitzroy’s Brunswick St Oval grandstand has been booted from their makeshift homes.
Yarra City Council gave the group marching orders despite the fact the homeless community had been living there peacefully for decades.
Homeless man Mitch Turner told the Herald Sun he was “disappointed” the close-knit group had been forced to disband.
“It is a bit of a kick in the guts,” Mr Turner said.
“We have always looked out for each other. It is a big relief to have somewhere you can keep your things and it’s safe for us to leave them here.
“It’s great not to have to carry everything on your back.”
Homeless people have slept in the heritage-listed grandstand for years but the tent city was closed down by the the City of Yarra municipal building surveyor.
“Staying in the grandstand is not safe, as it poses a major fire and general safety risk,” a notice said.
“It is illegal to enter, or stay in, the grandstand.”
Mr Turner rebutted the council’s allegation about the grandstand being a safety hazard.
“It’s been safe for us for many years in the past and nothing has drastically changed,” Mr Turner said. “It was a shock, we didn’t see it coming.”
The Herald Sun witnessed a group of five police officers boot remaining rough sleepers out of their tents as well as a dozen or so council workers remove rubbish and belongings from the grandstand.
One rough sleeper told the Herald Sun the council had “no compassion” and it was a real disappointment to have to leave the community.
The group will be given various crisis accommodation for the next few weeks.
CEO of Launch Housing Bevan Warner said 14 people camping at the grandstand had been provided with temporary accommodation.
“They are living there because it is the best alternative for them,” Mr Warner said.
“A home is more than a roof over your head, it needs to include social connections.
“We have been doing the best we can for people who are rough sleeping. That is not easy - sometimes people do not want to accept assistance.”
Mr Warner, who runs the largest homelessness and housing service provider in Melbourne, said since the pandemic struck more than 1000 people had been placed into crisis housing.
Of those, 600 were already rough sleepers but alarmingly an additional 400 needed assistance in temporary housing.
“The pressures of COVID have exacerbated family violence, and people in very tenuous housing situations who have nowhere to go,” he said.
“People who couch surf for example have been pushed out of the homes they were living in.”
Mr Warner urged the Victorian government to “urgently fund” more affordable social housing.
“No one wants to have people go back to sleeping on the streets,” he said.
“We need a plan for where these people go after restrictions are lifted. People are still anxious.
“It is in the community’s broader interest to ensure we provide the right mix of housing support to people.”
A City of Yarra spokesman said to improve safety the council had installed smoke detectors and fire extinguishers at the site in April.
“This is when our electrician discovered some dangerous re-wiring which created a major safety hazard and severely increased the risk of electrocution and fire,” the spokesman said. “At the end of the day, we have a duty of care to people using our facilities.
“There is not adequate power, running water or sanitation to house this many people long term.
“That’s why we are doing what we can to make sure safer accommodation is available.”
MORE NEWS
WHY ‘TENT CITY’ HAS TAKEN OVER FITZROY FOOTY GROUND