Access to hot air vents at city hall blocked after incidents involving gun and '6-foot spear': City manager

Hamilton's city manager is defending the "difficult" decision to board up hot air vents behind city hall, saying incidents involving people warming up there had escalated, including one where a "six-foot spear" was seized and another where police recovered a gun.

Janette Smith told the general issues committee Wednesday that 34 incidents of illegal behaviour had been reported by security since the beginning of December, with 13 that involved violence and resulted in police being contacted.

"It involved incidents such as fighting, verbal threats of violence as well as verbal assaults and racial slurs to staff and security staff," she said. "Staff were reporting fear."

A spokesperson for Hamilton police said it had been contacted about at least 14 separate incidences during December, with 11 that involved "some form of reported violence" and three about unlawful behaviour such as trespassing.

Police said the service was not immediately able to respond to Smith's mention of weapons as it would require scanning each individual report.

The city initially used plywood to block access to the exhaust system blasting heated air into the cold, building a structure around its rear entrance about two weeks ago. The move was met with public outcry, particularly from those who work with vulnerable populations and said it dehumanized those without shelter.

Dr. Tim O'Shea, who said some of his patients were among those staying outside of city hall, said he found the barrier "discouraging and disappointing," comparing it to a person boarding up a hole in their home so "critters" couldn't get in.

"It's almost treating people like they're not human beings," he told CBC.

Smith told councillors that it wasn't an "easy decision," but came after the rate and nature of confrontations began to ramp up in December.

City outreach staff have been visiting those staying outside city hall twice a day every day since October to let them know about their support options, she said.

Fifteen people were able to access shelter during that time, and city staff have also been helping run Bennetto Recreation Centre as a place to keep warm during cold alerts, Smith added.

"It's a difficult situation because we appreciate the situation we're in and for those that are living rough," she said.

"But from an occupational health and safety perspective as an employer, we're also balancing our responsibility of ensuring that the staff at the building are safe."

The city manager provided information as a response to comments from Ward 1 Coun. Maureen Wilson, who said her constituents had questions about why the structure went up, especially during the "dead of winter."