Halifax councillors have approved a list of nine parks for potential new homeless encampments due to overcrowding at current sites, which only accommodate about half of the 150 people experiencing homelessness in the city. As of late June, the four designated sites were filled beyond capacity, and there were additional encampments at various non-designated and rural locations.
The approved parks include Bayers Road Windsor Street Park, BiHi Park, Chain Lake Park, Cogswell Park, Glebe Street Park, Halifax Common berm, Geary Street green space, Bissett Road Park, and Point Pleasant Park. The goal is to alleviate pressure on existing sites and manage the increasing number of people in need of shelter. The city plans to open a few of these parks initially, including Cogswell Park and Glebe Street Park, while assessing the situation and determining the need for additional sites. The move aims to address issues at current encampments, such as overcrowding at University Avenue, which has experienced violence and negative impacts on nearby services.
Councillors discussed the challenges of managing encampments and the need for municipal support like water, porta-potties, and potentially fencing. Concerns were raised about sites like Point Pleasant Park, where fire risks and spillover into other green spaces could be problematic. However, some councillors argued for including peninsula locations to centralize and manage encampments better. The city is also preparing a larger site in Wrights Cove, Dartmouth, which may open by mid-September. An update on encampments will be provided in November, with hopes that upcoming provincial projects, such as Pallet shelters and tiny home communities, will further address the homelessness crisis.
Read the full story with accompanying video on CBC: