Former CRAB Park encampment residents launch ‘cooling bus’ to support Downtown Eastside

During this spell of hot weather, former CRAB Park campers are using what they call a "cooling van" to provide water and other supplies in the DTES.

As hot weather descends on the city, former residents of a Vancouver encampment are operating what they call a cooling bus to provide water and other supplies to people on the Downtown Eastside, as they label a Vancouver policy banning daytime camping as cruel.

Kiana McDermott is one of the people who used to call CRAB Park home, and is one of the people now helping to operate the bus.

They’re handing out cold drinks, snacks and harm reduction supplies to people, many of whom live in poverty or are homeless.

“It gives me purpose and stuff,” McDermott said of what she gets out of helping others after improving her own personal situation. “I’ve needed help before, and there’ve been people out there that have had the compassion that have helped me, and I feel that’s like helped me progress in my life. I’m no longer in the position I once was.”

People CTV News spoke with on the Downtown Eastside shared their appreciation for those operating the bus.

“It’s a good thing, right? Because people need more access to stuff like this, especially during the heat,” one man told CTV News while waiting in line for a bottle of water and some granola bars.

The bus operators describe Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim’s policies as cruel – specifically decisions to shut down various encampments and to crack down on enforcing a ban on daytime sheltering in parks.

But Sim and his office maintain the tent cities were dangerous – sharing pictures of seized propane tanks.

“That situation was incredibly unsafe,” Sim told reporters on Wednesday when asked about tent cities. “We had butane tanks exploding, there were weapon caches there, guns, knives, crossbows, it was an untenable situation… our team spent eight months literally going one by one to every individual out there to make sure that they had the supports in place, finding them suitable shelter space what have you,” he said.

This all comes amid a legal challenge by the BC Civil Liberties Association that argues banning people from setting up tents in public spaces areas during the day violates their Charter rights.