City of Calgary remove RVs parked along Moraine Road 

Calgarians living in their motorhomes along an industrial road in the city’s northeast are being evicted and are unsure of where they’ll go next.

The residents living along Moraine Road were given a rude awakening Monday morning with tow trucks, police and bylaw officers line up to help remove them from the street.

James Wright has been living along Moraine Road since September, after he says he fell on hard times. He admits he isn’t sure where he and the others will go next — causing frustration and uncertainty amongst the group.

“We’re here because we have no other options,” says Wright. “There’s no affordable housing, there’s nowhere to stay in any of the shelters, and the other option is a tent.”

Wright is not alone, Victor LaRock has lived on the road for 10 years and says things hit a fever pitch between him and bylaw officers on Sunday, after he claims he was told he would need to start getting ready to leave.

“I said look, this is a blatant attack, and she said I don’t want to hear it. We’ve been battling with you for years, we’re done, we’ve had enough, you’re gone.”

Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot recently stated he’s working on a plan to find another temporary spot for the residents, but the residents say they want a more long-term solution.

“We’re trying to survive,” says LaRock. “I make $800 a month.”

Wright calls it “ridiculous” that the city isn’t didn’t come up with a solution before asking the residents to leave.

“We’re not harming anything, we’re not bugging anyone,” he says.

As of 1 p.m. Monday, all vehicles have been cleared from the street. The city says tickets were issued and placed on four abandoned vehicles, adding they had 100 per cent compliance from the residents.

“We just need access to that roadway to accommodate some of the traffic control changes that we’re making in the area,” says Troy McLeod, the city’s director of mobility.

The RV residents were given temporary parking passes in September which expired in late November. At that time, the city said they were considering developing a more long-term option in the next three months.

McLeod says a number of the RV owners have registered themselves with Alpha House to access accommodations.