Welcome to Halicentral!

As summer is now officially upon us, while others thoughts drift to vacations and warm summer days, mine linger on the visiting street population any tourist town gets when the warm weather approaches. You would think that a small little city like Halifax would be a friendly welcoming place to those in need. The reality is we are a harsh little town - high crime rate, oppressive police force especially if you are, poor, transient, young, black or aboriginal or heaven forbid an activist and very over burden underfunded community service agencies.
Please don't let that deter you from visiting - because we need new blood - some lively folks in the mix -just some heads ups

• like while we do not have an anti-panhandling law we do have an anti-squeeging one so if you need cash remember to stay away from the road ways when you looking for contributions
• We have mall cops that think they are police - these are mainly on Spring Garden Rd. but remember that they only have control over private property not public spaces, like sidewalk, library and public parks
• Our actual police, are in many cases, overzealous to put it nicely and to put it truthfully bullies much of the time -not all but many - especially the newbies
• believe it or not - that big lovely field called the Commons - is not a place where you can camp or let your dogs run without a lease (many do but in the summer they really crack down) so bring a lease and be ready to put it on or they may take your dog
• The Commons is a public space however and you can stay all day (even some of the night)- so if some cop says move on they have no right to do so
• Food not Bombs meals - Sunday at 1 PM by the North Branch Library, Gottingen Street
  Wednesday at 5 PM by the Spring Garden Branch Library
  Thursday at 12:30 PM by Victoria Park (corner of Spring Garden / South Park)
• Hope Cottage - free supper meals 5 days a week located 2435 Brunswick St (902) 429-7968
• There is also a few others however people you meet at these food programs will let you know where else you can go.
• Check out Robert's Street Social Centre while your here - lots of zines to look at and lots of free activities - great community space!
• And in the end you can always call HCAP the Halifax Coalition Against Poverty 902-444-5060 and leave a message and someone will get back to you to answer your questions

Good Luck and Welcome to Halifax