Homeless campsite cleared from Vinmont Veteran Park

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An unhoused man’s large campsite inside Vinmont Veteran Park was cleared Saturday morning following months of outreach from Riverdale residents. Residents said an individual resided in the park for the duration of the summer. After three months of demanding action, they reached out to Council Member Eric Dinowitz for help. The council member connected with the NYC Parks Department and BronxWorks to clear the area and assist the unhoused individual. Vinmont Veteran Park overlooks PS81 and a playground. One parent said his children go to school next door. "It's unfortunate that they don't have a place to go, but it's not the right place for them to be. I don't think it's safe," said Michael Hoanzl. As of Saturday morning, NYC Parks told News 12 they performed a full clean-up of the area. They also noted the unhoused individual accepted Safe Haven services from BronxWorks. "