Part of Vancouver park reopens after being closed for a full year

A city worker picks through belongings left behind at a homeless camp at Oppenheimer Park after a 12 p.m. deadline for the park to be vacated, in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Saturday, May 9, 2020. The province is temporarily relocating hundreds of people from tent encampments in Vancouver and Victoria to hotel and community centre accommodations to protect them from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Vancouver — A Vancouver park that used to be the site of a controversial tent city and was closed for a full year partially reopened Monday.

The west side of Oppenheimer Park, in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, reopened after first closing in June 2020. The reopening comes as Vancouver is in the middle of a record-breaking heat wave, with temperatures expected to reach 34 C on Monday.

The park was closed last spring after an encampment that had taken over the park for about two years was cleared. Park board staff closed the park for rehabilitation.

Last June, another encampment popped up near CRAB Park, but that was quickly shut down through a court injunction. About 200 people then moved to Strathcona Park, but half of that green space was eventually fenced off to campers too.

In April, the province ordered campers to leave that park. By late May, the last camper had moved.

As part of Oppenheimer Park's reopening, the city says some new elements are being tested out including log seating, a shared garden area and wood tables for eating and socializing. While the log seating and garden space were ready for reopening, the tables are expected to arrive in a couple weeks.

"We know this park is integral to the community, and we are pleased that people will now be able to socialise, play and attend city programming in the western section," said Donnie Rosa, general manager of Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, in a news release.

"Reopening takes much more than restoring grass, trees or structures. It’s important that our staff take the time to meet with community members and park users in a meaningful way to better understand their needs around programming, and other sacred cultural elements like the house posts, totem pole and baseball backstop."

The east side of the park, which has the fieldhouse and playground will remain closed for more repairs and restoration. Fencing will remain around the entire perimeter of the park, though park board staff say it'll be accessible 24-7.