Trash dumped in front of Grand Forks city hall

Grand Forks RCMP arrested two men suspected of dumping garbage at city hall Tuesday, June 15, according to Cst. Eileen O’Mahony.

O’Mahony said the men, one in his 30s, the other in his 60s, were arrested at Morrissey Creek Road’s disused motocross site known as Moto, now the subject of ongoing negotiations toward a potential supportive housing facility and a year-round shelter for people experiencing homelessness.

City hall surveillance footage shows a van abruptly pulling up alongside the building’s 4th Street steps at around 10 a.m., according to Mounties and city staff. Two men then jumped out of the van and heaped food waste, rusty cans and soiled carpeting on the sidewalk. The pair then hopped back in the van, which made a hasty U-turn onto 72nd Avenue, narrowly avoiding pedestrians and a moving car, staff said.

Stripped wire, rusty cans and food waste were strewn about the trash heap. Photo: Laurie Tritschler

Cst. O’Mahony said the men were arrested at Moto at around noon. One man was released at the scene, while the other was taken into custody on unrelated arrest warrants.

Calling the incident a “very inappropriate way to make a point,” Mayor Brian Taylor said he wasn’t sure what point lay behind the trash.

Tentative negotiations between the city, housing minister David Eby and BC Housing have identified Moto as a potential site for permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness as well as an extreme winter shelter. But Taylor qualified that the city has no definite plans to break ground any time soon.

“We’ve not yet had any firm commitments from BC Housing,” he said.

Taylor then said Tuesday’s incident would likely come before city council when at its next regular meeting Monday, June 21.

@ltritsch1 laurie.tritschler@grandforksgazette.caLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.