Lower Sackville encampment volunteers plead with N.S. for safe shelters after man injured in collapsed tent

She’s not asking for much.

Just a little shelter with a roof and some heat.

“It’s not like anybody here expects to have a house to themselves,” said Rhea Moore.

She is one of 30 or 40 people roughing it in a ballfield on Cobequid Road in Lower Sackville. It’s one of 10 outdoor camping sites that the city has earmarked for homeless people.

Moore’s a little luckier than most people here. She has a large ice fishing shelter while the majority have summer tents layered in tarps.

“We’re all just in survival mode, and many are not doing too well.” She nodded at one tent saying that the person sleeping there is in crisis. Their father and partner both died.

The province appears to be in no rush to get a roof over their heads. Two months ago, the government said it spent $7.5 million on 200 small, heated shelters. Half of them would be for Halifax Regional Municipality. A spokesperson for Community Services says it’s still looking for appropriate land to put them on. The next update on the project isn’t until the new year.

“As sites are identified, the land will be cleared, then surveyed to determine the layout of the villages before water and sewer services are installed.” The department wouldn’t say whether any of the shelters would be at the ballfield.

SaltWire asked whether there would be any kind of winterized shelters in the park this year, but got no answer.

We asked the city the same question. It pointed the finger at the province.

“Any questions on the province’s winter emergency shelter, pallet shelter or tiny home initiatives should be directed to the Department of Community Services,” a spokesperson said.

As it stands, a group of volunteers (The Gated Community – Cobequid Ballfield) is trying to fill the void by providing food, propane, clothes and blankets.

Earlier this week, the group posted a letter on its Facebook page addressed to the Nova Scotia government. The group was frustrated.

“We have been willing to fundraise to cover the cost of structures and are more than willing to have fire marshal assess the integrity of these structures to ensure they are safe. Yet, we’ve been advised by our government that structures are not permitted and if found, will be dismantled.

“Despite our relentless efforts to supply them with pallets, foam matting, tents, insulated tarps, dry storage, and heat, we find ourselves unable to ensure structural safety.”

The post also says that a disabled man in his 50s was in hospital, partially paralyzed, after being trapped in his tent. It had collapsed under the weight of wet snow. “This was an avoidable tragedy (and) the responsibility of this lies with the rules and regulations created by our government,” the group wrote.

“We are angry. We are worried. We are desperate for change.”

Meanwhile, it’s getting colder. Wednesday got down to -10 C. SaltWire spoke to one man living in the encampment who goes by John.

John sleeps in an uninsulated tent covered by two tarps. “I’m worried…I worry about people who are older and ill and in the same situation as me.”