Quebecers raise concerns about voyeurism at Montreal's Jarry Park pool

A handful of Quebecers in Montreal's Jarry Park on Saturday spoke out against voyeurism after several social media posts reported men allegedly photographing women at the nearby pool without their consent.

The borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension received three complaints of voyeurism near Jarry Park pool on June 26, a spokesperson for the borough said in an email on Friday. No complaints were recorded before then, according to the spokesperson.

Comments made in a Montreal Reddit thread more than a week ago point to a group of men allegedly gathering by the pool to stare at women and secretly photograph them while they were swimming.

Montreal police said in an email on Thursday that officers of the neighbourhood station are aware of the issue at the park and are "taking it seriously."

They said officers have been patrolling the area on foot and on bicycle. 

Caitlin Bugden, who kickboxes with her friends at the other end of the park where she feels more comfortable, said the reports online validated her feelings of uneasiness in the area near the pool.

"I definitely am making a more conscious decision to stay away, absolutely," Bugden said.

She added that the reported behaviour is "really disheartening" because women "just want to be left alone and do the things we want to do."

Guillaume Barnabé, a Vaudreuil resident who saw the online thread, went to the park on Saturday to discuss how to become an active bystander.

"I had never been to Jarry Park [before today], but I've seen enough posts of people complaining about it that I wanted to do something about it," Barnabé said, noting that the complaints reflect the need to raise awareness about women's sense of safety in society.

"We should all take part to make all people feel safe," he said.

A spokesperson for the borough said additional staff have been deployed between Monday to Sunday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. to provide more surveillance around the pool.

"The safety and well-being of all those using Jarry Park are a priority. Any form of harassment is unacceptable and will be dealt with the utmost rigour," the spokesperson said.