The takedown of Camp Cloud cost the City of Burnaby $30,665, according to the municipality’s director of corporate services.
Dipak Dattani said the Aug. 16 operation that saw dozens of city employees working long hours to clear the site at the corner of Shellmont Street and Underhill Avenue “generally went well from our perspective.”
The protest encampment was initially cleared of campers shortly after 5:30 a.m. by members of the RCMP from Burnaby and other area detachments. Eleven people were removed from the camp, five of whom were arrested.
At about 7:45 a.m., city crews took over control of the site and began the long process of documenting all the items of the camp, clearing out garbage and taking down the various wooden structures.
By 8 p.m., the site had been completely cleared with a new concrete barricade installed in its place.
Personal belongings were not thrown out, Dattani said. Instead, they were photographed, itemized and held for camp members to later claim. The city was under no legal obligation to do this, he said.
“We have always indicated that we will dismantle the facilities in a safe and in a respectful manner,” Dattani said. “And we believe that we wanted to take that added step to take the possessions and make sure that we separate them and secure them and provide them to the rightful owners.”
The campers have until Sept. 15 to claim the items. Dattani said several items have already been reclaimed.
