TACOMA, Wash. — Portions of People’s Park in Tacoma are expected to re-open to the public this week following a homeless camp cleanup.
"While People's Park remains closed, lots of progress is being made," a spokesperson for Tacoma Metro Parks said in a release Friday.
The park was swept earlier this month when the city’s tent ban went into effect. There were approximately 53 tents and 38 people in the park in the days before it was cleared out.
The park was barricaded with fences while city contractors cleaned the park site and equipment. Workers removed and replaced the top few inches of soil in several places and replaced the soft material near the play equipment, according to the city. That work was completed last week.
After the tents were cleared out, city staff worked to get campers into shelters, including a tiny homes community and an emergency shelter operated by the Low Income Housing Institute.
During cold weather last week, the city’s shelters expanded emergency capacity by about 200 beds, and permanent shelters expanded overflow protocols to accommodate up to 160 extra shelter units, according to the city.
When the public has access to People's Park again, it will be for day use only. Walled structures and overnight camping will be banned, as per an ordinance that Tacoma City Council passed in October. Council members passed the law in an effort to address “emerging public safety issues impacting the quality of life in Tacoma's parks.”