Lethbridge residents bring forward concerns about tent encampments

A number of concerned citizens came forward at Lethbridge City Hall to speak on the encampment issues within our city. Resident Angeline McDonald who lives next to the YWCA says she comes across needles in her yard every night and adds her property has been vandalized in the past.  

“They’ve burned holes in my fences. They’ve defaced my property. They have stolen things. They tried to break into my house. Well, welcome to the German Shepherd world because you’re not safe when you come into my house. That’s a whole different ball game. I have twelve cameras on my place. I have trail cams. I have registered everything with the city and I’m about to get five more tomorrow. So this is what I’m saying is as an emergency responder, I have to respond to these calls. Taking it away from there, I’m also a citizen of Lethbridge and I’m a proud citizen here. I’ve been here a long, long time. I want to feel safe,” said Angeline McDonald, a concerned resident.

Lethbridge Senior Sharon Gold says she doesn’t feel safe leaving her house at night.  

“I can’t go outside at night in my front yard. They’re sleeping on the boulevard or they’re trying to get into my van. I don’t feel safe and I should. I’m a senior. I deserve that and so does everybody else, but I live alone. I do not support it being in the arena. I do not support it at all. I think it’s time that we actually did something,” said Sharon Gold, a concerned resident.

Council says they continue to study and work on fixing the encampment issues within Lethbridge.