Everyday ‘kindness, compassion’ keep people living outside at Lower Sackville ballfield alive
A hundred packs of hand warmers filled one box.
There was more, including emergency blankets and insulated ice-fishing tents.
It was all neatly packed in the back of Tony Sears’ van. He’d brought it for the folks living at the outdoor tenting site on Cobequid Road in Lower Sackville. The donations couldn’t have come at a better time on Saturday morning. Temperatures dipped to -21 C with the wind chill.
Two men living in the park — one in his 30s, another in his 60s — helped Sears unload the cargo. They were grateful.
“They’re all incredible human beings,” said Josh, the man in his 30s. “The only reason why we are able to survive out here is because we are supported by a lot of incredible donations: tents, tarps, food every day.”
There are about 30 people living at the Cobequid ballfield site. It’s one of 10 camping sites that the city has earmarked for homeless people.
Josh managed to survive Friday night’s bone-chilling temperature, but not without discomfort. Every couple of hours he had to reattach a tarp that had blown off his tent. He’d also briefly lost electricity in his tent. It’s not just one tent, it’s three stacked on top of each other, covered with layers of insulated tarps. Two electric heaters help to keep him warm, which isn’t easy.
‘Really cold’
“It’s cold, it’s really cold,” said Josh. “It’s just going to get colder.”
Meanwhile, the province has yet to deliver on its promise to set up 100 tiny emergency shelters in HRM. The single-room Pallet shelters are supposed to be heated with electricity. The Houston government announced the project in October and since said the shelters would be set up before Christmas.
None of the sites have been announced. They require sewage hookup, security and organizations to provide support for communities. The Community Services Department said it would provide an update on the project early in the new year.
The ballfield is expected to be one of the shelter sites. Josh isn’t confident he’ll end up getting in a shelter this winter.
“I’m not holding my breath waiting for that. I don’t think that’s going to materialize really.”
Rely on each other
He says everyone there has major health issues. Mental health problems and chronic pain are among the most common. They rely on each other to cope with the daily struggle to survive.
“It would be a lot more bleak doing it alone,” he said. “Having that community around all the time, having people that you talk with means a lot.
“It’s kind of an uplifting aspect of living here.”
That and the generosity of volunteers in the community, especially The Gated Community – Cobequid Ball Field, a group that helps the homeless.
They make sure that everyone has a healthy, tasty supper every day: jambalaya, soups ,turkey dinner, spaghetti, lasagna.
“Everyone relies on that free food that so many people are so kind to bring to us,” said Josh. “It’s really genuine, the kindness, compassion and care people show to us.”
