Calgary neighbourhood fights to take back park from transients

A small inner city park in northwest Calgary has become a hangout for transients, leading nearby residents to take up the fight to take their space back.

Families who live next to Lion’s Park in the community of Hounsfield Heights-Briar Hill say they regularly see drug use, drinking and people sleeping or camping in their neighbourhood park.

Concern grew when parents found needles lying on the ground near the playground, and they called Calgary police.

“Obviously the mothers are very concerned with that, and so we’ve been taking it very seriously,” said Calgary Police Service const. James Dore.

“It’s close to the LRT and it’s well concealed. We’re stepping up our patrols and getting the people the resources they need so families can enjoy the park.”

The park is just south of the North Hill Mall across 14 Avenue N.W. at 16 St.

With transients using the park, residents say there is also more garbage and even graffiti littering the area.

The community association has asked the City of Calgary parks department to remove some picnic tables where the people gather, trim some trees and improve lighting at night.

“We’d like to make it less hospitable to the kind of people who are abusing the park,” said association president Laura Hunt.

“We want to make it a more inviting park so there are more people walking through it more often.”

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The parks department is aware of the concerns and said it is working on a plan to improve safety and clean it up.

Ward councilor Druh Farrell is also hoping the North Hill Mall redevelopment plan will mean a facelift for the park.

“I see this as a real opportunity,” Farrell said.

“We really haven’t put a lot of energy and money back into that park since it was severely changed with the introduction of the LRT. So we can do some short term fixes but we don’t want to lose the focus on the long term solutions.”

In the short-term, Dore said officers will continue to watch the park and promises to use all the resources he can to make it safe for families.