Illegal nighttime activities in HRM park need addressing: councillor
Squid fishing off the dock, fires and camping are just a few of the illegal nighttime activities happening in a municipal park in Boutiliers Point.
“We have had significant issues over the last few years,” said Coun. Pam Lovelace (Hammonds Plains - St. Margarets).
Bay Lookout Park, a 2.4-hectare property off of St. Margarets Bay Road in Boutiliers Point, has a lower area with a former government wharf, parking area, storage building and boat launch and an upper wooded area with trails, a parking lot and a picnic spot.
Two years ago, Lovelace asked for a report to modernize a bylaw (P-600) which governs municipal parks. There were increasing concerns from neighbours about after-hours activities including overnight mooring, bonfires and camping, nighttime squid fishing from the wharf and claims of periodic drug activity.
And, according to the staff report, “an additional issue is that the wharf is regularly being used by a new commercial fishing operator, without an agreement with the municipality.”
HRM took ownership of the park from the federal government in 1998. Before then, it was home to a Department of Fisheries and Oceans research facility and a government wharf.
HRM has put in nearly $1 million into fixing the park, especially after hurricane Earl caused significant damage in 2010.
Staff pointed out that they have responded to complaints by installing gates on both driveways, added signage and a timer that turns off the wharf lights after hours.
LOCKED GATES AND SQUID FISHING
The problem is the site was used as a camping site for years and there are fire pits where people have made fires over the past few decades, Lovelace said.
“It is confusing for users. They come in there, they park their vehicles, have a picnic and want to spend the night. But what’s happened over time is it’s turned into a space with vandalism, unruly characters who are using that,” she said.
The RCMP have spent a lot of time there addressing drug use, violence and misuse of the space, she said.
And community members who want to use the park during open hours often find the gate still locked.
Ray Walsh, HRM director of parks, said there have been issues finding a reliable contractor to work the gates but it should be solved now, as HRM has hired Commissionaires to take over.
It’s also a very popular spot for fishing in the dark.
Lovelace said last summer there were reports of upwards of 200-300 people out on the wharf until 4 a.m. fishing for squid.
“Last year we were overrun,” she said.
COMMERCIAL FISHING BOATS
Even with a sign pointing out that overnight mooring is not allowed, it still happens, Lovelace said. She said a fishing boat has moored there without permission for the past decade.
“We have a sign that says no overnight docking but at the same time, there is overnight docking every single day of the week,” she said, adding she’s worried about the inconsistency in enforcing the bylaw.
“And it’s pretty gross, actually, when you have fish heads and fish entrails on a public community wharf.”
Walsh said their plan is to have the Commissionaires do a sweep of the park when they close the gate and note any vessels moored overnight.
“My team hasn’t approached those vessels. Our plan right now is to see if that activity is continuing,” he said.
He said they haven’t heard service requests or complaints about the campfires or boats mooring overnight.
“We haven’t heard anything about (mooring) since early last year,” Walsh said.
He noted that people can call 311 to report illegal use of the park and they will investigate.
NO BYLAW CHANGES NEEDED
After exploring it, HRM staff said in the report that the bylaw doesn’t need changes to deal with these issues. The bylaw prohibits public access to parks between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless permission is granted, prohibits camping and fires, and has “regulations to address unruly behavior.” The fines are a minimum $100 and maximum $10,000.