Lights, shrine adorn park where homicide victim Chelsie Probert was found

While officials in Halifax discuss improving lighting and safety in a Dartmouth park where a teenager was found dying, someone has gone ahead and installed lights in the area.

Chelsie Probert, 18, was found "in medical distress," according to police, on the footpath in the Farrell Street Park on June 6. Four months ago, a man was stabbed in the same area.

Recently, someone tied several dozen solar powered lights with purple ribbons to the fence and in the ground along the path. Someone's also set up a floral memorial with candles.

• Death of 18-year-old woman in Dartmouth ruled a homicide

Police, politicians and bureaucrats look at safety

The solar powered lights — a citizen or citizens' effort to improve safety — comes as Halifax Regional Police, Halifax city staff, and municipal councillors all look at what to do about the violence on property owned by Nova Scotia Power.

The walkway is a shortcut from the homes and apartments around Farrell Street to the businesses at Wyse and Albro Lake Roads. The park is dimly lit and densely wooded and residents have told CBC News they avoid it at night because they say it's unsafe.

On Tuesday a Halifax Regional Police safety audit of the park — which was inspected in the aftermath of Probert's death — was presented to city council. 

Cameras are 'a great motivation to deter' criminals

Police made 13 recommendations in the audit to prevent crime, including the call for security cameras — "a great motivation to deter criminal activity."

However, the report points out that the cost of cameras, monitoring them, and the fact that criminals can easily move out of sight lines, need to be addressed.

The safety review also says shrubs should be cut back and trees thinned to improve "terrible" visibility in a park that has "lots of blind spots and areas of concealment."

Condoms, beer and reclaiming the park

Officers noted that they found condoms and wrappers near the end of the path, and beer boxes littering the area.

Adding park benches, more pathways, signs that identify it as a park, and garbage removal were also identified as ways for the area "to be reclaimed as parkland."

But the safety audit stops short of calling for additional lighting.  It says once overgrown brush is removed, the necessity for more lighting can be reviewed.

Could Probert's death have been prevented?

With the exception of two new recommendations, the review is virtually identical to one conducted by HRP in 2015.

But Tony Mancini, the councillor for the area, said he doesn't think the failure to implement all of the recommendations two years ago was a factor in Probert's death.

"I don't think that would've made a difference in Chelsie's murder. It's not like there was no light at all and it was all grown in. It really wasn't like that," said Mancini who said he knows limited information about the case because he sits on the police commission.

"Doesn't mean that we still shouldn't follow through on the latest audit by all means, and we will do exactly that," he said during a break from council. "By doing even more than even what the audit suggests, that'll help hopefully to prevent another situation there."

Mancini presented a motion to council on Tuesday to ask staff to look into Farrell Park as a pilot project for use of security cameras in public spaces.

Nova Scotia Power wants to be 'a good neighbour'

Any changes that might take place will need Nova Scotia Power's approval. The land, which runs along a transmission line and substation, is leased to the city for a playground and a recreation centre.

Spokesperson Tiffany Chase said the utility met with the municipality and police recently. The municipality was asked to provide cost estimates for improving park safety which the utility would evaluate before making a decision on how it may assist.

"Being a good neighbour is important to Nova Scotia Power, and we regularly support community initiatives that contribute to the health and safety of our customers and community members," said Chase.

'They've had their share of tragedies'

Mancini said he's not surprised to hear that someone's spent their own money to try to light up the dark section along the path where a woman lay dying. He said someone's also gone out on their own and cut back some of the grass.

"That's the kind of community that Dartmouth North is. They really do care," said Mancini. "Unfortunately they've had their share of tragedies."