Letter: Presence of the Nicomekl homeless camp embarrassing, says neighbour

Editor: I wrote to the City of Langley a few months ago, during the summer months, about the people living in the park (on the Nicomekl flood plain) and the fact that I am no longer able to use the park for bike rides and walking the park with my daughter, because I fear for our safety.

I have never received a response.

Two of my neighbours to have had their fences kicked in. They face 208 Street, so I assume the access was easier.

We are all paying taxes to the City of Langley and expect that at the very least we are safe in our homes and community.

I had planned on writing to the council in regard to this issue on many occasions, but as we are all busy with our daily lives, I too hadn’t taken the time up until now to voice my concerns directly to (the mayor). However, this has all changed now.  This morning, I found that one of our cars had been broken into. We have reported the incident to the Langley RCMP, and they are fully aware of the issue in this area.

We do not expect to get our belongings back — winter coat, and monies, and gas that was siphoned from the tank — but what we do expect is a clean-up of the persons who are just looking for an opportunity to perform another criminal act.

My daughter and I are feeling very unsafe in the house now, and unless City council and the mayor are willing to step up to this situation there will be many residents who are not going to vote the current council back into power.

This affects a large number of residents, and frankly it’s embarrassing to tell people where I live now, as they all are aware that Langley has become a hotbed of criminal activity in the area.

Safety of my family is of the utmost importance and, frankly, the mayor and council are letting us down by allowing this to continue.

Waiting for the flooding of the Nicomekl park area to handle your problem as mayor is unacceptable. In the spring of 2017 if nothing is done, this issue will escalate to unmanageable levels.

Do these individuals have the ability to claim ownership of our community park, while local taxpayers are unable to enjoy the wildlife and park?

I sincerely hope that harm does not come to any resident because nothing was done.

Michele Scott,

Langley City

Langley Times