THUNDER BAY – Following a recommendation made during an inquest into the deaths of seven Indigenous youth in the city, three high priority river areas are being examined to try to prevent future similar deaths.
The coroner’s inquest into the deaths of seven Indigenous students in Thunder Bay between 2000 and 2011 last year produced a recommendation for all the named parties to conduct safety audits of the river areas frequented by the youth.
Nearly 50 people, representing all of the named parties in the recommendation, spent Monday and Tuesday conducting both day and night audits of areas along the McVicar Creek, McIntyre River and the Kaministiquia River.
Thunder Bay Crime Prevention Council coordinator Lee-Ann Chevrette said planning for the safety audits dates back to the end of 2016 with the terms of reference being drafted in January.
“Ultimately, we want to identify some safety deficiencies at the river locations that have been identified by this group and come up with recommendations to improve safety and security for youth in our community and all users of these spaces,” Chevrette said.
Represented organizations include the city, Thunder Bay Police Service, Northern Nishnawbe Education Council, Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Matawa Learning Centre and both CN and CP Rail Police.
Five of the seven youth who were the subject of the inquest were determined to have drowned in city waterways. Jethro Anderson and Jordan Wabasse, both 15, were found in the Kaministiquia River in 2000 and 2011 respectively. As well, 18-year-old Curran Strang, 15-year-old Reggie Bushie and 17-year-old Kyle Morriseau were found in the McIntyre River.
Most recently, the body of 17-year-old Tammy Keeash was found in the Neebing-McIntyre Floodway on May 7.
The group has tasked Barry Horrobin, a crime prevention through environmental design consultant based in Windsor, to compile a report with the identified deficiencies and recommendations.
Horrobin said the audits involve more than just taking a quick glance at each location.
“The average user who’s coming by on their bicycle or walking wouldn’t even notice some of the things we’re seeing,” Horrobin said. “You need to take a closer look and we’re seeing where people are sort of hanging out and attending these sites for the wrong reasons. They’re loitering, consuming alcohol to excess and putting themselves and others at risk.”
Horrobin said visibility is a primary issue at many of the identified locations, providing people with privacy to engage in potentially harmful activity away from detection.
That makes areas under bridges and other encampments appealing, he said.
“Loitering is the front edge of many criminal offences or problematic activity that leads to harm. That harm can be to a person’s own self,” Horrobin said. “They drink to excess in a tucked in area that’s hard to observe and then they slip and fall because they’re in a state where they can’t exercise good judgement and they fall in the river and drown.”
However, Horrobin said increased police activity in these areas isn’t necessarily an ideal answer.
“Increased surveillance by everybody is what the best solution is. Law enforcement only forms one small piece,” Horrobin said. “We want everybody that uses this space to be the extra observers and reporters of this kind of activity.”
The report is expected to be completed in the next month with potential implementation of recommendations to follow.
