Dozens turn out for homeless memorial service in Halifax

Amy Moonshadowwas one of dozens of people who turned out on a bitterly cold day in Halifax Wednesday for a homeless memorial service.

The event honours those who have died while experiencing poverty and homelessness.

She attended in memory of her Welcome Housing neighbour,Willard Thomas Comeau, 62, who died after being struck by a truck in north-end Halifax on Dec. 14, 2018.

The event was arranged by the Out of the Cold Community Association.

Michelle Malette, one of the organizers, said the pandemic raised concerns, but those behind the event felt it needed to be held.

"It's not OKwhen someone in our community, and one of our neighbours, dies because of systems and things that arein place in our community that weall live in, and we don't mark that," she said."And it's so important that we mark it."

Malette said that the choice oflocation outside the former St. Patrick's-Alexandra school was deliberate.

"It hurts everyone's heart that in this community, and specifically in the north end, we could have gone to the Peace and Friendship Park, or we couldhave gone to Victoria Park, but we thought this was the best place to be because thisis a terrible, terrible waste," Malette said.

She said the situation was maddening because overnight shelters in Halifax are forced to turn people away.

The former school building has been the subject of legal challenges for yearswith several community groups trying to block its sale.

People came forward during the service to call out the names of friends, neighbours and loved ones, creating a poignant reminder of the number of lives lost.

Malette said there is a lot of talk about helping the homeless but more concrete action needs to be taken.

"What is actually important is for regular people to say loudly and continuously and forcefully that they care that there are people in the city [who] do not have a home," she said.

"They don't have a safe home. They don't have an affordable home. It's a daily heartbreak for people. And people just want to live. Everyone is entitled to a house."

She said the building Out of the Cold occupiesis slatedfor development. The organization could have to move out in April 2021.

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