Dartmouth neighbourhood residents concerned about rising encampment violence

Residents living in the Northbrook Park area in Dartmouth, N.S., are increasingly worried about their safety following a series of violent incidents in their local park.

Two weeks ago, Neil Baker said he was attacked walking along the park.

“This guy I walked by came up behind me, and then comes over and gets in my face and says, ‘You’re here shooting your mouth off.’ I thought he was reaching for something and he sucker punched me right in the chest for no reason at all. It wasn’t provoked, it wasn’t anything. I just wanted to go home,” Baker said.

Baker said he left the area and called the police.

“I told them I want him charged, and they told me it’s kind of a waste of time because he will be out tomorrow and right back to where he was and he probably won’t show up to his court,” Baker said.

Baker said he doesn’t know the person who punched him and has not seen him in a long time, but recently heard the man is back at the nearby tent encampment in the park.

“I don’t feel safe in this neighbourhood. I’ve lived here 24 years, kids used to play out in the streets,” he said.

More recently, neighbours say an elderly man was attacked.

“He was collecting bottles and recyclables in the park, someone who was living in the park took issue with it and beat him earlier in the week and decided, I guess, that wasn’t enough and then attacked him with a baseball bat. [He] had to crawl to the police training centre to get help and ambulance came and took him to hospital,” said Craig Phillips, a resident whose backyard faces the park. “The officer I spoke with said he was almost beaten to death.”

CTV News reached out to Halifax Regional Police for more details, but it was unable to confirm the details.

Councillor Sam Austin is aware of the situation.

“I don’t know all the details, but I have seen the posts online about it. We have additional police in the area. There’s outreach going on, but we are in a terrible situation there is nowhere for people to go. Unless we can offer people another location, you can’t just wish people to disappear,” he said.

Austin said the municipality is working toward moving the people living in the park to another location, but it will take time.

“I know it’s an issue, everybody understands this park is not working, it’s ill-suited for this but we have an obligation. We have to treat folks that are homeless like human beings, too, and you have to be able to provide a clear alternative,” he said.

Most of the tents at the encampment have been set up since spring. Some residents say each evening has been a nightmare, claiming there are rats, human feces and needles in and around the park.

Steve Finnegan in Northbrook Park in Dartmouth, N.S. (Source: Hafsa Arif/CTV News Atlantic)

“People can’t sleep, people can’t use their backyards because they’re scared to see some of the public nudity, drug use and violence,” said Steve Finnegan, another neighbour whose backyard faced the park.

He said a few weeks ago, his daughter found a box with at least nine needles.

“My daughter, her and her friend, they won’t come over here play in the park anymore. They’re too scared. It’s just not a good situation for kids People won’t even walk their dogs because they’re scared their dogs would step on an infected needle.” Finnegan said, noting cops are called three-to-four times a night. “The violence at this park has only escalated. Nothing’s tamed down and it’s taking too long.”

Needles in the grass are pictured. (Source: Steve Finnegan)

Phillips said he empathizes with those living in the park, but the health and safety is becoming a big problem and he does not know what to do.

“I’m sad for them and I’m angry at our politicians. I’m angry at the premier, the minister of housing, our councilmen and our MLA. I think everybody’s shirked the responsibility. They’re all pointing at each other and nothing’s getting done,” he said.

Residents told CTV News there are about eight different encampments within a three-mile radius and at night, they see up to 17 people in the area. Fights often break out and yelling is heard throughout the night and sometimes in the day.

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