In each “Behind the Scenes” segment, Village Media's Scott Sexsmith sits down with one of our local journalists to talk about the story behind the story.
These interviews are designed to help you better understand how our community-based reporters gather the information that lands in your local news feed. You can find more Behind the Scenes from reporters across Ontario here.
Today's spotlight is on BayToday's Chris Dawson, whose story "Homeless encampment consuming frustrated neighbourhood" was published on Sep. 13.
Below is the full story, in case you missed it.
A group of neighbours on Third Avenue East near downtown North Bay are frustrated with a homeless encampment that they believe has consumed their entire neighbourhood.
A group of neighbours who wished to be unnamed collectively reached out to BayToday to share their story of frustration.
One neighbour says the problem is so bad that he has seen homeless individuals defecating on the street in mid-day and doing the same in holes in the ground on the property across the street in a residential area.
Another neighbour says screaming can be heard at all hours of the day and night. Smoke from illegal campfires seeps through the windows of neighbours' homes.
The overall consensus from the group is that they do not feel safe in their own neighbourhood.
"We have to lock our doors and they are checked often and we all have multiple ring cams more and more," said another neighbour.
"We are having to build more fences in our neighbourhood too.
"At 2:30 in the morning I got woken up by these homeless people with these big carts and then an hour later another group carrying a huge piece of wood but if you don't lock your car doors you are in trouble," the neighbours explained.
The neighbours have complained to the owner of the strip of land in question. It's owned by Toronto lawyer Aldo Forgione.
The group has reached out to him and his office multiple times.
An official from Forgione's office told the neighbourhood group they have had an "Agent" go to the property in an attempt to remove the homeless squatters.
The city, the police, and the district of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board (DNSSAB) have all been contacted about the issue, to no avail.
Gord Young, communications specialist with the City of North Bay, addressed the issue via an email to BayToday.
"We understand the concerns in the neighbourhood, and By-law Enforcement is addressing the situation as best as possible through regular monitoring and nearly daily inspections," Young stated.
"The Clean Yards By-law prohibits the accumulation of garbage, scrap, and junk, and several orders have been issued to this property, most recently at the end of August. As a result, the garbage has been removed. By-law Enforcement will continue to respond to complaints, monitor for any by-law violations, and work with the property owner to ensure compliance. Additionally, the City is engaging with social agencies to address broader concerns."
While the neighbours are frustrated with the situation, they believe the one who needs to solve the problem is the property owner.
"The property owner should be on the hook for this," said one neighbour.
