Dalhousie University is apologising to nearby residents after a homecoming celebration over the weekend quickly spiralled out of control.
On Monday, a letter signed by Dalhousie president Richard Florizone was delivered to homes in the typically quiet south-end neighbourhood where the bash occurred.
“For most students and alumni, homecoming is a fun, respectful and safe gathering. What happened in your neighbourhood is not acceptable to us,” wrote Florizone, adding the university is working on a plan to discourage similar behaviour in the future.
READ MORE: Dalhousie homecoming parties shut down, 22 arrested
The letter also included an invitation to attend a meeting hosted by the university on Tuesday night in an effort to get feedback from the community.
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Area resident James Hall said he’s lived in that neighbourhood for most of his life and had never experienced anything quite like what happened on Saturday.
“I thought a riot would break out,” said Hall.
“At one point I counted ten to twelve cruisers driving around and people swearing at the police obscenely. It was actually quite worrying, quite frightening.”
READ MORE: Parents of student who died of alcohol poisoning sue Dalhousie University
Hall lives next door to one of the houses where the students were gathering. He said he hopes the university finds a way to deter the weekend’s behaviour.
“They have to be tougher on the people who organise the parties,” he said.
“Hard to do anything about the people who show up- that can’t be anticipated ahead of time. But clearly there were homes in the neighbourhood where the parties were starting. I live next to one so I know.”
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Another neighbour described the scene as “drunken mob” and said that she and her husband locked the doors on Saturday out of fear for their safety.
“Ashamed to be a Dalhousie University alumni today,” said Joan Fage in an emailed statement.
“Kudos to the Halifax police, the Fire Department and Emergency Health service responders who professionally defused the horrid situation. We cannot thank you enough!”
Dalhousie University spokesperson Brian Leadbetter said they were incredibly disappointed in the behaviour of the students involved, adding the university plans to work diligently to prevent similar situations in the future.
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