After several dozen people began camping in Pittsfield's Springside Park this summer, the city first relaxed its rules that prohibited people from being there after dusk. But last month the Park Commission set Tuesday as the day to start enforcing those rules.
A handful of people continue to camp at the park.
James McGrath, who is in charge of the city's parks and open space, said Pittsfield will “absolutely not” forcibly remove anyone. Instead, he said, Pittsfield is working with ServiceNet, which runs the only emergency homeless shelter for adults in Berkshire County, to help people in the park find safe places to live.
“The city remains gravely concerned with those that have been in the park. The weather is getting cold. The park is not a suitable location for camping, certainly in this upcoming Berkshire winter,” McGrath said.
Erin Forbush, director of operations for ServiceNet’s Shelter and Housing Division, said some in the park prefer to camp rather than stay in a shelter. She said the agency wants to respect what people they want while offering support to help them stay safe.
“If that safe environment means that we have an outreach worker go out, make sure they have extra blankets, needed food — whatever that is — to make sure that they are they are living as best they can in the elements," said Forbush. "And, when it gets really bad out, we're going to go out there and encourage them to come into the shelter, even if it's for just a night."
Forbush said about 20 others are also camping in parks around the city.
She said the agency's 50-bed shelter, located at the now-closed St. Joseph's High School, has room for about another 20 people a night.
"On very frigid cold nights," Forbush added, "we certainly do not turn people away."