Encampment at John Rebecca Park causes tension with central Hamilton neighbours

At the corner of John and Rebecca streets is John Rebecca Park, a sunbaked stretch of concrete, spotted with circular mounds of dry, yellow grass. 

At the centre of the park is a cluster of bicycles, backpacks and blankets, huddled under the park's only real source of shade — a perforated overhang meant to be part of a splash pad that is no longer used by the public. 

On top of the overhang, people have tied down tarps to stop the sun and rain from leaking in through the small holes. People under the shade are trying to stay cool, on yet another day outdoors in 30-degree heat.

This is also home to the John Rebecca Park encampment, a last resort for the people who live there and a cause of tension in the central Hamilton neighbourhood between those residents, some neighbours in nearby buildings and businesses. 

Encampment resident says city shut off water in the park

One Hamilton man, who identified himself to CBC Hamilton as Jay, says he has been living in the encampment for about a year, to stay close to the drop-in day centre run by non-profit organization Wesley Urban Ministries across the street. 

Wesley offers folks like Jay the basic necessities, like food, water, washrooms and showers. It also provides medical services to people experiencing homelessness. 

CBC Hamilton spoke with Jay on July 19, a few hours after city workers had given encampment residents an eviction notice, forcing them to pack up and move somewhere else around noon during an extended heat warning.

Jay said that when the city enforces an eviction, they come in with trucks and throw out everything that belongs to the people who live there. 

Even without the eviction, Jay said the city has removed items from the park, like tarps used to create shade.

At the time of reporting, the tarps were back up.

Jay also said the city had already shut off water to the park. 

"The thing that bothers me the most is the water. It's probably the most disgusting thing they do. They're trying to make us as uncomfortable as possible," he said. 

In an email to CBC Hamilton, city senior communications officer Aisling Higgins said the park's spray pad and fountain have been vandalized, and wiring for both have been stolen, leaving them out of order. 

"The city wants to protect the cost of the investment in the repairs, and ensure that these items will not be immediately vandalized, before these items are fixed," the city wrote.

Tensions with neighbours 

Some people living and working in the neighbourhood surrounding John Rebecca Park have voiced what they feel are safety concerns related to the encampment to police and the city. 

Paul McDonald manages the Dirty Dog Saloon and Club 77, both of which sit directly beside the park. 

He said that since people have begun living in John Rebecca Park, he has had to increase security to keep his patrons from interacting with people in the park. 

McDonald said that an encampment resident recently attempted to assault him when staff were preparing to open the bar for the night. 

He said the man walked into Club 77 and headed to the back of the bar, while staff and McDonald repeatedly told him to leave. 

"I was yelling at him to get out of the building, he's not welcome," he said. 

McDonald said he grabbed the man, who he believes was an encampment resident, by his backpack to get his attention, and the man turned around and swung at him. 

McDonald said he was able to chase him out without either of them landing any blows, but that this occurrence isn't out of the norm for him. 

"These incidents, they happen on a regular basis for us," McDonald said. 

McDonald said that, according to him, he has logged around 40 complaints with Hamilton Police Services over the past year, from reporting tents being set up in the park to seeing encampment residents allegedly carrying weapons.

CBC Hamilton was unable to verify the specific instance McDonald described, nor the number of complaints filed about the park or any charges in recent months related to weapons, with police. 

Tim O'Shea, a Hamilton physician who cares for patients experiencing homelessness, said that for people living in encampments, safety is a major concern as well. 

"I know there's safety concerns from people who are living around encampments, but there are also safety concerns of the people in encampments," he said. 

O'Shea said that encampment residents face violence from other people experiencing homelessness, and from community members who sometimes verbally and physically assault his patients. 

Don Seymour, the executive director of Wesley Urban Ministries, said that the solution isn't as simple as getting encampment residents into shelters.

He said that shelters have their own safety issues, and for some, living outdoors or in encampments is preferable to living in close quarters with others in a shelter. 

O'Shea said that often, the interests of the housed community are pitted against the interests of the unhoused, and that both have a right to live in a safe, comfortable and stable environment.

"The issue isn't necessarily one group versus the other, but the issue is that there's not safe, stable, affordable places for people in encampments to live," he said. 

Encampment residents need basic income, agency head says

The city opened John Rebecca Park in November 2019. The site was a former parking lot and was redesigned to be "a foundation for the emerging residential neighbourhood."

The following March, Wesley Urban Ministries opened its day centre across the street.

According to McDonald, that was when issues between Dirty Dog Saloon and people experiencing homelessness began. 

While McDonald said he does not blame the day centre for the issues he has had with park residents, Seymour said he has received "hostile" emails from some community members who want the day centre to leave the neighbourhood entirely. 

"I reserve all my sympathies and compassion for the people we're supporting," he said.

Seymour said that many of the people who use Wesley's services are dealing with mental illness and substance abuse. He said that not having access to housing makes these conditions worse. 

"It's not easy living in encampments. People are preyed upon," he said.

He said that community members filing complaints and outreach programs will not fix the problem. 

Seymour said that what many encampment residents really need is a basic income to stop the cycle of poverty, and better funding for mental health and addictions services. 

"I can understand that it doesn't look pretty, however, when you're looking at [people living in the encampment], something people generally forget, is that you're looking at someone that needs medical treatment, that is not available and does not exist," he said. 

Councillor to propose CCTV cameras for the park 

Ward 2 Coun. Jason Farr has drafted a motion to place surveillance cameras in John Rebecca Park, which he says he is planning to put forward at Wednesday's public works committee meeting on Aug. 10. 

The draft says CCTV cameras have shown to assist "as investigative tools for law enforcement" and "mitigate the likelihood of reoccurrence and impact of the criminal behaviour to the property and its local community." 

It also says the park "has become an unsafe environment due to an increase in criminal acts."

Farr is also proposing that city staff meet with "meet with the adjacent businesses to work on a plan for reducing the negative impact to their properties."

O'Shea said he could see both sides of the argument for surveillance cameras in the park, because people living in encampments have their own concerns about safety.

The draft motion also claims when encampment residents are approached "during multiple daily visits from Hamilton Police Services," as well as by "health outreach teams" and others, "they refuse to welcome the help being offered."

Hamilton Police did not comment on the frequency of their visits to the park when asked by CBC Hamilton.

In an earlier draft of the motion, Farr said that John Rebecca Park is meant for public use, but because of the encampment "few if any are utilizing it these days." 

People like Jay are using the park, though for how much longer is unclear. 

Jay said that in order to comply with the city's eviction notice, he would most likely move to another public park, because he has nowhere else to go. 

His other option, he says, is "literally just wandering around the city."