Halifax closing Lower Flinn Park encampment one month after shooting

The Lower Flinn Park encampment in Halifax is pictured. (Emma Convey/CTV News Atlantic)

The Halifax Regional Municipality is closing and de-designating the Lower Flinn Park encampment one month after a shooting in the area left a man with life-threatening injuries.

The municipality says people sheltering at Lower Flinn Park have until 5 p.m. on Dec. 7 to move to an indoor spot or one of the two remaining designated encampments in Halifax and Dartmouth.

“As of Oct. 30, municipal housing and homelessness staff determined that there were 59 tents and four trailers in the municipality’s remaining designated locations,” the municipality said in a news release. “From the outset, the municipality has been clear that the creation of designated locations would be temporary. They were established in July 2022 to address an immediate need to ensure people had a location to go to if they had no other option but to sleep rough.

“The municipality is constantly assessing the need for designated locations. As more indoor shelter spaces and supportive housing options become available, more municipal designated locations will be closed, de-designated and returned to their intended purposes as spaces for everyone.”

Over the last year-and-a-half, the municipality has closed designated encampments in Grand Parade, Cogswell Park and University Avenue. Following the closure of Lower Flinn Park, the two remaining encampments will be the Barrington Street green space in Halifax and Green Road Park in Dartmouth.

The municipality says people sleeping at Lower Flinn Park will be offered transportation to provincially-funded indoor shelters and housing options, or to the other encampments. They will also be offered temporary storage of their belongings among other resources and supports.

“The municipality remains committed to ensuring those sleeping rough are provided with better alternatives, working toward having safer, long-term housing options for everyone who needs them,” the municipality said.

According to a notice issued to people living at the encampment, a peace officer may arrest and remove anyone who doesn’t leave Lower Flinn Park by Dec. 7.

October shooting

On Oct. 19, Halifax police responded to a reported shooting at the Lower Flinn Park encampment. They found an injured 30-year-old man and took him to hospital.

Police said they do not believe the shooting was random.

-With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Stephanie Tsicos

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