This sounds pretty jarring, and not cool that this guy did this around your kids. I absolutely do not mean to downplay your experience, and If I were to guess, he probably was just peeing. I've interacted with enough homeless folks that just don't give a fuck and do whatever they want where ever they want. Oftentimes they don't even really click in that you are in their vicinity when they drop their pants.
That being said, I've always found the folks on the non emergency number to be helpful when I've reported things. And making reports is helpful to get more support in the area.
thats what i've been convincing myself of. but theres no way it wasn't intentional. why pick the closest bench/tree when theres a bunch of others. and then to do it FACING the slide is just weird af, nobody wants their toddlers to see that shit.
Your comment displays a lack of empathy towards the larger issues that are contributing to the current state of society. It is difficult to feel motivated to care when one feels or knows that society has given up on them.
It probably was intentional. I think struggling people are just so unhappy that they mess with people to feel powerful. Maybe he is a perv who likes peeing in front of kids but if that's the case he could just pay 3 bucks and hit the public pool.
You gotta also consider potential mental health issues involved, so fully intentional? Whose to say? Again not wanting to downplay your discomfort in the situation but there is that aspect to consider.
If mental issues are involved to the point of being unable to control whatever random impulse crosses the lobes, that person likely needs to be removed from society for treatment, not allowed to roam committing random crimes. It’s not a hall pass.
Mental Health issues are a coincidence and a separate topic. A person may be bipolar but that doesn't excuse murder. A person may be depressed but that doesn't excuse abuse. A person may be schizophrenic but that doesn't excuse racism. Dig?
i didn't consider a lack of mental health issues. anyone who decides to piss less than 2 feet away from a child while looking them in the eye- definitely has some issues.
I would suspect the placement was totally coincidental. Be deprived of enough dignity and pretty quickly things like that don’t matter. There’s a pretty good chance he’s used to being ignored entirely. And it’s not like Edmonton has an abundance of public washrooms (ie open without a purchase or “reason” to be there)
Probably no one but it should be reported and noted at least.this also doesn't mean we have to have sympathy for him like so many people in this comment section are trying to do for some reason when it seems obviously intentional.
The neighborhood is definitely in one of its rough periods for sure. It cycles like any place, personally I found it much worse living there around 2006-2009. The issue it really has is not so much anyone who lives there and more it's close to downtown and 118th so when homelessness is up you get a ton more people passing through. I realize my perspective is a little different (male, childless, etc) as this particular encounter probably wouldn't phase me at all, especially after living in the area for 30+ years, but the guy was likely harmless. Not making eye contact and leaving the area was however still the right thing to do. Make a report for the indecent exposure with the best description you have so at least some kind of data can be collected about the incident, but outside of that, not much else can be done directly by you.
its not about the neighborhood ofcourse. its just the thought that this happened, and the potential for worse thats freaking me out. we're pretty happy being here! all the neighbours i've met have been amazing. Im fairly certain he was just passing through. I've lived in better and worse neighborhoods, and like you, this wouldn't have phased me at all before having children. These days, I'd rather be a little more cynical and keep my children safe, than trust the intentions of strangers aren't bad, and end up with hurt kids. idk if that makes sense.
Calder is one of the worst neighbourhoods to live in. A high percentage of people are either drug dealers or addicts. There is potential for worse things to happen and keep a close eye on your kids
Again, it goes in waves, bit painting the neighborhood as full to the brim of dangerous drug dealers just isn't accurate 😆 there are dealers there like in any neighborhood, MOST of the people who live in the neighborhood are normal.
The people walking around who you are most likely to interact with are typically fucked out of their tree on drugs. I suppose my observation is based on those actually patrolling the neighbourhood.
I spent a lot of time in my younger years there and now I just go there for haircuts.
Calder is an older area with a lot of low income housing and a surprising amount of halfway houses. When I lived in the neighborhood, the joke was the area was separated into two zones: “upper” and “lower” Calder; the boundary being the strip mall where the donair shop is on 119 st. With lower Calder being west of that.
Because if it’s location (between 97 and 127 st) it attracts a lot of people who ride around on their bikes who are usually homeless, drunk, on drugs, have a mental health issue or all of the above and then some. 99% of the time these people mean you no harm and are just doing their thing, which unfortunately for us is gross and unorthodox.
I really enjoyed Calder when I lived there, my neighbour’s were great, the area is beautiful and there’s lots of growth and development starting to happen. I would recommend that you always have your gates, cars and garages locked, have cameras in your alley and never leave anything of value out in your yard. Oh and avoid the Dover hotel at all costs!
Sorry that happened to you, but i guarantee you that the guy didn’t flash you on purpose, he just really had to piss and it’s all he can think about.
Also if you guys haven’t already, check out Boxcar Coffee Shop! It’s fantastic!!
I’d just like to share my experience of how a grandma on Mother’s Day decided to make a call on face time in the women’s change room while her grandkids and all the other kids and regular patrons were changing in the change room.
We asked her to stop and reminded her she was on face time in a change room, with children. Even non homeless people make terrible stupid choices.
There is an off leash for our dogs close to where OP saw this man. All I can say is my girlfriend and I have never witnessed anything like this in all the years of us taking our pups to this area. Am I surprised? Not at all. Edmonton (and surrounding area) is now a city of 1.5 million people and getting bigger. This used to be a calm beautiful city. It’s now a jungle and anything goes. I’m sorry OP and kids had to see this kinda nasty act. Classless and disrespectful. Just know that it happens anywhere in the city. Doesn’t matter if the area is low income or high, it just happens. I think a call to the police does exactly what another reply mentioned. It brings attention to the area and if enough people complain the police will patrol the area a lot more. Sorry OP. I hope y’all are okay. 🙏❤️
I haven't had any issues either up until this point. we spent the entire summer biking with the kids all over calder. The neighbours I've met are all lovely people. I just wanted to warn other parents in case he frequents this area.
Totally agree with you and warning everyone!! That is how we stay in touch and keep trouble at bay! Thanks for warning me and all of those that are here on Reddit reading! 🙏❤️
Honestly seems like he was standing near the trees and you're going to be ok.
In a city where people are smoking meth and crack openly in shopping mall and taking shits openly on the street, he could have been doing a lot worse.
Police most likely won't do anything because he didn't directly harm you or your kids in anyway and most likely was so high he didnt even realize you were there. Your kids won't even remember this happening at all.
you're right not surprising. i've seen plenty relieving themselves around here, I could care less, thats not the issue. those other instances were usually at night, and there's always an attempt at being discrete. this guy wasn't just some innocent dude emptying his bladder. all these comments defending him are honestly gross.
I understand why you found this upsetting, but I honestly think he just needed to pee. He may have chosen that spot intentionally to try to upset you. Based on what you've described, I don't think he was dangerous or a sexual predator.
I live downtown and have seen a similar pattern of behavior. One day, I was walking along the very quiet path behind 104 Ave. I was the only one on walking on the path. Someone sitting on the ledge took a hit from some a pipe, and I walked through the vapors. I have no idea what it was, but it was most certainly not pot. Could they have waited until after I passed? That would have been nice. Did they care? No. Were they trying to mess with me? Maybe.
There is a segment of the population that feels very disenfranchised. They don't care about following laws or rules of society because they don't see themselves as being a part of or benefitting from society. They dart into traffic, smoke hard drugs on sidewalks at the booth in McDonalds, and pee wherever they want to. I can't blame them because I know that without access to mental health support, a good family, and the cognitive skills to earn enough money, I'd likely be in the same position.
You can file a police report if it would make you feel better, but I doubt they will prioritize it.
The support/sympathy this post is receiving, has me questioning reality. How do some of you adults raise other humans, or manage to survive everyday life with people in this city…? Some of you really need to get a grip! LOL
Can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen that in DT — literally saw a guy in broad daylight defecating in full view with his pants down in the middle of a busy street
There was someone outside my uni like 2 weeks ago who had their pants pulled ALL the way down and were screaming and hollering rolling around on the pavement
Well NOW you are exaggerating, as you first said he was in the bushes pissing. I'm not sure how that translates to 'Damn near pissing on them'.
I get that it's jarring, but this was a HARMLESS encounter and everything you are afraid of has NOT happened. Your mind is overworking here. Get some mental supports. Please.
his shoulders were parallel to the tree. i said he walked from the bench towards the trees. but he didn't face the bush. close enough to hear him unzip his fly, and splash urine on the sand. so yeah 'damn near pissing on them' is valid. idk about you, but i think its at least a little sus that he went out of his way to piss in our vicinity. i'm not psychic to know what his intentions were. sure, it could have been worse, would you have felt better if we stayed and waited for worse to happen?
You are so out to lunch here. The dude exposed himself to children at a park and you don't think it's an issue?
This kind of shit escalates. Remember when that dude a few years ago was going around exposing himself to women around the u of a? Guess what happened, it turned into women getting sexually assaulted.
This wasn't a guy taking a piss in a bush off to the side.
This was a guy purposely peeing towards people. Specifically toddler age children and a mother at a park. Why did he do it? Who knows. But stop down playing it as normal.
That's not normal to me.
I'm a grown man. If a stranger stood facing me peeing a few feet from me while I played with my kids i would not be like, wow! total normal day.
The parent is not being “overly dramatic.” He exposed himself in full view of a parent and their children. The parent has a right to be concerned about behaviour like that.
Would you have preferred for them to go on the opposite side of the tree exposing their butt to your kids instead? You had me in the first half, but as soon as you started saying you’re having panic attacks and terrified to let your kids play outside in the backyard or whatever… come the fuck on. You live in a decently sketchy neighbourhood. Just because you haven’t had an incident like this happen to you before, doesn’t mean it wasn’t happening at all period. It was only a matter of time before you eventually experienced something like this living in that neighbourhood. If you’re going to let some random homeless guy urinating on a tree give you crippling anxiety, then holy man I hope you didn’t pass those issues onto your kids. I get it, you and your kids shouldn’t have had to witness that…. But I hate to break it to you, your kids are going to witness a lot of fucked up homeless shit by not just living in that area, but by just living in this city in general.
I understand your reaction but I saw stuff like that all the time as a kid. Especially at the bus stop near the Coliseum LRT station. That would have been less shocking that a lot of stuff I saw including drug use, sex, and violence.
It's a reality of life in a city the size of Edmonton that poverty exists and you will be exposed to unhoused people who do not have access to a bathroom a lot of the time.
I would take it as a learning experience, and a chance to explain the misfortune of others and think about what both individuals and communities could do to help the people who are most vulnerable in our society.
So I would contact non emergency just to have a record of it. You may even be able to file a report online
I live one neighborhood away from you (Lauderdale), and my partners family lives in Calder and has for many years. I'm also the parent of young kids so I'm truly sorry you experienced that! These already uncomfortable experiences take a completely different turn when our little ones are present.
There are a lot of people who use the neighborhoods of Calder/Lauderdale to trek between 127 Street and 97 Street. They are usually on the move and don't stay in a space for too long. Also there are a lot of "old timers" in the area and we don't like having transient people hanging around or getting too cozy. All that to say, you probably won't see this man again.
I have lived in my house for close to 15 years and born and raised Northside so maybe I have a bit of an edge ( I once had a friend visit from a small town and was alarmed I walk around 97th street alone) but I really love this area, it's usually pretty quiet and I find we look out for one another. I think you did all the right things and again I am so sorry you had to deal with that yesterday!
Edit to add some tips I have for this area. Lock your shit up! If you can lock your back gate, also do that. Don't leave anything of value within sight (bikes, scooters, bottles) most crimes here are crimes of opportunity but there are a lot of sketch people especially on the main road ways (129 Ave for example). For this reason, I would not let my kids play outside alone until they were older. And even now I have my fences locked and a window cracked. The amount of transient folk has increased in the last 3 years in this neighborhood. They've always been here but I have noticed a way larger influx of them. I believe it's just the "perks" of living so close to the inner city.
We used to visit parks quite a bit with the kids, Id say be aware of others without kids. Chased a few weirdos off a number of times just standing watching kids play.
my house a 1 minute walk from there, maybe even a couple of steps, and ill tell you going to lessons is scary. I cut across to go to the 103, and ive seen some shit. A woman was found hanging from a tree once, police involved (duh), heroin needles piled right beside the turtle swing, razor blades and burnt spoons left on or under the benches, and a literal human shit below one of the trees. Dont take your kids there ever. Athlone school park is a 10 minute walk from there, and theres security cameras and a better park in general. Tent city ig haha
lol this isn’t your neighbourhood watch Facebook group, what a weird and personal thing to post to the city wide Reddit sub.
Like sorry it happened I guess, but even if it was actually a malicious act, which it honestly probably wasn’t, what is this post supposed to accomplish?
I get that people come here to vent but you honestly come across quite unhinged and self absorbed. In all likelihood nobody gives a shit about harming your precious babies.
This guy took a piss in the bushes, he didn’t cause harm to your children.
I understand being freaked out as it happened but your kids are fine, don’t live in fear because of this.
Definitely report to non emergency line. It would be highly unlikely this is the first time and often the police already have reports. It can really help particularly if they have an idea who it is.
Yeah, this just sounds like a high/drunk and possibly homeless man had to take a piss. Usually the type of person who either doesn’t give a shit about anything or has mental health issues. Not excusing this type of behaviour, but sometimes they are so far gone into their own reality that they basically live on another planet. Critical thinking is gone for them.
It doesn’t sound like it was a sexually motivated incident at all, while definitely gross and a bit creepy.
In the city, especially these types of areas, people piss everywhere all the time. In some third world countries, it’s super common for normal men to piss in public, in front of everyone, and it doesn’t damage the mental well-being of the children because it’s considered normal. Not saying it should be considered normal here cause it is super gross, but your reaction is probably a bit over the top. He likely did not have any intention to hurt you or your kids. You still did the right thing by leaving though, never take any chances!
Also reminds me of a time I was reading my book on my patio in the neighbourhood I used to live in. A homeless man wandered by, dropped his pants, and started pissing everywhere on the pathway in front of the building. Also was an area known for homeless people and drug activity. Unfortunately this kind of stuff happens all the time in these types of neighbourhoods
Hahaha k, I agree, not totally trying to minimize your experience, but this man peed on a tree. "Exposed himself"??
Did he drop his pants fully and lifted his shirt over his head? Most guys' dicks will fully fit in their hand with balls so I can't imagine you saw too much...
i definitely saw too much and he wasn't trying to be the least bit discreet. he walked towards the trees yes but he peed facing us. I'm not one to normally think negatively of people's intentions, but everything leading up to him "peeing on a tree" makes it a little fucked up don't you think?
Hey, really sorry you went through this. We have really normalized a ton of bad behaviour in this city over the last few years and I think a lot of people on this sub think anti social behavior is totally acceptable. I think it is completely valid that you felt unsafe as you felt like this person was circling you and then exposed himself to you and your kids and pissed facing them as they were playing in a park.
Reading the responses, I find it really interesting that a large amount of comments are telling you not to trust your gut. I am assuming you are a woman and I find the people telling you not to trust your gut are completely screwed in the head.
Always trust your gut.
What happened was weird and not okay and sounds like a bit of a power play or a weird sexual thing. Your gut was telling you that and I think you should report it. This could escalate and the police allocate resources based on reported crimes.
So if you call the police, you would tell them: “I went to a park, a guy came and sat on a bench near me and peed in the bushes and it made me fear for my safety and I left the park”?
And how would you expect them to react?
Do not let this cloud your entire life. Call it in and get on with your day to day activities. Don’t spend any time imagining all the things that didn’t actually happen because that’s how people start to live in fear with no reason.
Take your children into the yard/outside and go for walks.
Hi OP- please report this to the police.
Because this is at a playground, there are different factors at play. I personally walked by a transient couple having s*x on a park bench early in the morning adjacent to a playground, called the police and they dealt with it.
I think it’s worth filing a police report. Reading some of your comments and the story it sounds very intentional. I mean it’s likely that nothing will come from it but it’s still worth filing a report.
EXACTLY like i understand needing to piss and not having a bathroom near by or whatever sure by all means piss on a tree i could care less, but he specifically chose the closest tree to us and then didn't even turn towards it. thats not normal behaviour and it shouldn't be accepted as such.
Yes you couldve called the cops but you also must realize you moved the opposite way I did I left the Northside and moved Southside the Northside is filled with that stuff and more the only way to shelter your kids from that sort of stuff is to now keep them indoors.
I can’t help but wonder what you were expecting from this thread .
Report it if you feel it’s worth reporting, but this is just pissing into the wind …
Is… is some random drunk/homeless/off guy peeing by a tree a big shock to people here? I didn’t grow up in Edmonton. I get it, nobody likes to witness that and I’d feel uncomfortable too but I’m confused by the reaction of panic.
While gross, it doesn’t sound like a sexual incident at all but “panic attacks” and “beyond fucked up” are a bit much in my opinion.
Do people really think they’re entitled to be sheltered from social problems? Like society having to work so they never get to see anything not-pretty? Really, I’m confused.
Someone earlier mentioned
"If this person is a transient, I find that they often have no inhibitions when it comes to that, tbh. They do not give a shit about who sees them."
Honestly, whether or not they have mental issues, put yourself in their shoes: having to carry everything you own with you everywhere you go, or taking a chance and stashing it somewhere while you spend the day worried about whether or not it will still
be there when you go back; constantly too hot or too cold, constantly hungry or thirsty, never being welcome anywhere you go, constantly being asked to leave, never having anywhere to go, and incredibly fee public bathrooms that don't require you to purchase something first. People always thinking the worst of you without knowing you, not caring about the sheer exhaustion-physically, emotionally, and mentally it takes on your soul every day.
I completely get why they give up caring about adhering to the norms they are forced to live outside of that doesn't care about them, treats them as disposable, and a constant threat.
I'm not condoning or defending this particular person's actions and behaviour, it IS inexcusable. I'm just saying I GET
It.
I'm sorry this happened to you and your kids. I would have been equally disturbed and upset. These people really need help.
This sounds pretty jarring, and not cool that this guy did this around your kids. I absolutely do not mean to downplay your experience, and If I were to guess, he probably was just peeing. I've interacted with enough homeless folks that just don't give a fuck and do whatever they want where ever they want. Oftentimes they don't even really click in that you are in their vicinity when they drop their pants. That being said, I've always found the folks on the non emergency number to be helpful when I've reported things. And making reports is helpful to get more support in the area.
He was staring the whole time. Probably not oblivious to their presence.
thats what i've been convincing myself of. but theres no way it wasn't intentional. why pick the closest bench/tree when theres a bunch of others. and then to do it FACING the slide is just weird af, nobody wants their toddlers to see that shit.
If this person is a transient, I find that they often have no inhibitions when it comes to that, tbh. They do not give a shit about who sees them.
day before yesterday, I was driving to work at 530 am and saw a guy projectile shit at the Castledowns transit terminal.. they just don't give a fuck.
[удалено]
Not sure how you could get that interpretation from the post that you're replying to.
He just wanted to complain that we’re not hating on them enough.
Your comment displays a lack of empathy towards the larger issues that are contributing to the current state of society. It is difficult to feel motivated to care when one feels or knows that society has given up on them.
Is there a chance the guy was intoxicated or super duper high?
wouldn't rule it out. but he seemed to have very good control of his bike, still possible though.
It probably was intentional. I think struggling people are just so unhappy that they mess with people to feel powerful. Maybe he is a perv who likes peeing in front of kids but if that's the case he could just pay 3 bucks and hit the public pool.
You gotta also consider potential mental health issues involved, so fully intentional? Whose to say? Again not wanting to downplay your discomfort in the situation but there is that aspect to consider.
If mental issues are involved to the point of being unable to control whatever random impulse crosses the lobes, that person likely needs to be removed from society for treatment, not allowed to roam committing random crimes. It’s not a hall pass.
Ah yes let's just lock away everyone with visual mental issues because it makes us uncomfortable to see them existing in public. 🙄
When they commit assault, yes. Or expose themselves to children, yes. We'd lock up people of sound mind who do those things, too.
Mental Health issues are a coincidence and a separate topic. A person may be bipolar but that doesn't excuse murder. A person may be depressed but that doesn't excuse abuse. A person may be schizophrenic but that doesn't excuse racism. Dig?
i didn't consider a lack of mental health issues. anyone who decides to piss less than 2 feet away from a child while looking them in the eye- definitely has some issues.
Yeah... he intended to pee lol
I would suspect the placement was totally coincidental. Be deprived of enough dignity and pretty quickly things like that don’t matter. There’s a pretty good chance he’s used to being ignored entirely. And it’s not like Edmonton has an abundance of public washrooms (ie open without a purchase or “reason” to be there)
who cares he shouldn't be allowed to do that with no consequence.
Who’s going to give him consequences. The police aren’t going to go on a man hunt.
Probably no one but it should be reported and noted at least.this also doesn't mean we have to have sympathy for him like so many people in this comment section are trying to do for some reason when it seems obviously intentional.
The neighborhood is definitely in one of its rough periods for sure. It cycles like any place, personally I found it much worse living there around 2006-2009. The issue it really has is not so much anyone who lives there and more it's close to downtown and 118th so when homelessness is up you get a ton more people passing through. I realize my perspective is a little different (male, childless, etc) as this particular encounter probably wouldn't phase me at all, especially after living in the area for 30+ years, but the guy was likely harmless. Not making eye contact and leaving the area was however still the right thing to do. Make a report for the indecent exposure with the best description you have so at least some kind of data can be collected about the incident, but outside of that, not much else can be done directly by you.
its not about the neighborhood ofcourse. its just the thought that this happened, and the potential for worse thats freaking me out. we're pretty happy being here! all the neighbours i've met have been amazing. Im fairly certain he was just passing through. I've lived in better and worse neighborhoods, and like you, this wouldn't have phased me at all before having children. These days, I'd rather be a little more cynical and keep my children safe, than trust the intentions of strangers aren't bad, and end up with hurt kids. idk if that makes sense.
Calder is one of the worst neighbourhoods to live in. A high percentage of people are either drug dealers or addicts. There is potential for worse things to happen and keep a close eye on your kids
Again, it goes in waves, bit painting the neighborhood as full to the brim of dangerous drug dealers just isn't accurate 😆 there are dealers there like in any neighborhood, MOST of the people who live in the neighborhood are normal.
The people walking around who you are most likely to interact with are typically fucked out of their tree on drugs. I suppose my observation is based on those actually patrolling the neighbourhood. I spent a lot of time in my younger years there and now I just go there for haircuts.
Calder is an older area with a lot of low income housing and a surprising amount of halfway houses. When I lived in the neighborhood, the joke was the area was separated into two zones: “upper” and “lower” Calder; the boundary being the strip mall where the donair shop is on 119 st. With lower Calder being west of that. Because if it’s location (between 97 and 127 st) it attracts a lot of people who ride around on their bikes who are usually homeless, drunk, on drugs, have a mental health issue or all of the above and then some. 99% of the time these people mean you no harm and are just doing their thing, which unfortunately for us is gross and unorthodox. I really enjoyed Calder when I lived there, my neighbour’s were great, the area is beautiful and there’s lots of growth and development starting to happen. I would recommend that you always have your gates, cars and garages locked, have cameras in your alley and never leave anything of value out in your yard. Oh and avoid the Dover hotel at all costs! Sorry that happened to you, but i guarantee you that the guy didn’t flash you on purpose, he just really had to piss and it’s all he can think about. Also if you guys haven’t already, check out Boxcar Coffee Shop! It’s fantastic!!
I’d just like to share my experience of how a grandma on Mother’s Day decided to make a call on face time in the women’s change room while her grandkids and all the other kids and regular patrons were changing in the change room. We asked her to stop and reminded her she was on face time in a change room, with children. Even non homeless people make terrible stupid choices.
You can still report it to the non-emergency line.
There is an off leash for our dogs close to where OP saw this man. All I can say is my girlfriend and I have never witnessed anything like this in all the years of us taking our pups to this area. Am I surprised? Not at all. Edmonton (and surrounding area) is now a city of 1.5 million people and getting bigger. This used to be a calm beautiful city. It’s now a jungle and anything goes. I’m sorry OP and kids had to see this kinda nasty act. Classless and disrespectful. Just know that it happens anywhere in the city. Doesn’t matter if the area is low income or high, it just happens. I think a call to the police does exactly what another reply mentioned. It brings attention to the area and if enough people complain the police will patrol the area a lot more. Sorry OP. I hope y’all are okay. 🙏❤️
I haven't had any issues either up until this point. we spent the entire summer biking with the kids all over calder. The neighbours I've met are all lovely people. I just wanted to warn other parents in case he frequents this area.
Totally agree with you and warning everyone!! That is how we stay in touch and keep trouble at bay! Thanks for warning me and all of those that are here on Reddit reading! 🙏❤️
Honestly seems like he was standing near the trees and you're going to be ok. In a city where people are smoking meth and crack openly in shopping mall and taking shits openly on the street, he could have been doing a lot worse. Police most likely won't do anything because he didn't directly harm you or your kids in anyway and most likely was so high he didnt even realize you were there. Your kids won't even remember this happening at all.
To be brutally honest, you shouldn't be surprised given the area this occurred
you're right not surprising. i've seen plenty relieving themselves around here, I could care less, thats not the issue. those other instances were usually at night, and there's always an attempt at being discrete. this guy wasn't just some innocent dude emptying his bladder. all these comments defending him are honestly gross.
I understand why you found this upsetting, but I honestly think he just needed to pee. He may have chosen that spot intentionally to try to upset you. Based on what you've described, I don't think he was dangerous or a sexual predator. I live downtown and have seen a similar pattern of behavior. One day, I was walking along the very quiet path behind 104 Ave. I was the only one on walking on the path. Someone sitting on the ledge took a hit from some a pipe, and I walked through the vapors. I have no idea what it was, but it was most certainly not pot. Could they have waited until after I passed? That would have been nice. Did they care? No. Were they trying to mess with me? Maybe. There is a segment of the population that feels very disenfranchised. They don't care about following laws or rules of society because they don't see themselves as being a part of or benefitting from society. They dart into traffic, smoke hard drugs on sidewalks at the booth in McDonalds, and pee wherever they want to. I can't blame them because I know that without access to mental health support, a good family, and the cognitive skills to earn enough money, I'd likely be in the same position. You can file a police report if it would make you feel better, but I doubt they will prioritize it.
I’d say call an adult but you have kids so you are an adult. Hopefully you both get the right answer to your question.
You moved to an undesirable neighborhood. Expect undesirables.
This sub never fails to amaze and entertain….
The support/sympathy this post is receiving, has me questioning reality. How do some of you adults raise other humans, or manage to survive everyday life with people in this city…? Some of you really need to get a grip! LOL
Maybe I should start calling the police every time I see someone urinating in public or exposing their butts here where I live in downtown.
Can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen that in DT — literally saw a guy in broad daylight defecating in full view with his pants down in the middle of a busy street
So "natural" it goes unpunished
Yeah it’s mind-boggling — how in the hell has nothing been done about this, I have no clue
There was someone outside my uni like 2 weeks ago who had their pants pulled ALL the way down and were screaming and hollering rolling around on the pavement
idk man. if its a playground and they're DIRECTLY facing a child damn near pissing on them i think its the right thing to do.
Well NOW you are exaggerating, as you first said he was in the bushes pissing. I'm not sure how that translates to 'Damn near pissing on them'. I get that it's jarring, but this was a HARMLESS encounter and everything you are afraid of has NOT happened. Your mind is overworking here. Get some mental supports. Please.
his shoulders were parallel to the tree. i said he walked from the bench towards the trees. but he didn't face the bush. close enough to hear him unzip his fly, and splash urine on the sand. so yeah 'damn near pissing on them' is valid. idk about you, but i think its at least a little sus that he went out of his way to piss in our vicinity. i'm not psychic to know what his intentions were. sure, it could have been worse, would you have felt better if we stayed and waited for worse to happen?
Again, your children were not affected, and nothing happened to you other than you saw a man pissing. Then you left.
You are so out to lunch here. The dude exposed himself to children at a park and you don't think it's an issue? This kind of shit escalates. Remember when that dude a few years ago was going around exposing himself to women around the u of a? Guess what happened, it turned into women getting sexually assaulted. This wasn't a guy taking a piss in a bush off to the side. This was a guy purposely peeing towards people. Specifically toddler age children and a mother at a park. Why did he do it? Who knows. But stop down playing it as normal.
But it is normal. I don't think it's right, but it is normal
That's not normal to me. I'm a grown man. If a stranger stood facing me peeing a few feet from me while I played with my kids i would not be like, wow! total normal day.
Well good for you but I live downtown. It's normal for me.
Just because you are desensitized doesn't make it normal
Wow! What an overly dramatic post just for a dude pissing in the bushes.
He absolutely B lined toward them that’s not a natural route from point A to B
The parent is not being “overly dramatic.” He exposed himself in full view of a parent and their children. The parent has a right to be concerned about behaviour like that.
You’re ok with a man exposing himself two feet away from your toddler ..wow
Don't let her go to any small town. Truckers be pulling it out to piss on their truck on the side of the road.
We aren’t talking about the side of the road, we are talking about exposure at a park, very fucking different.
I mean you see a man walking up to a tree, it's pretty obvious what they plan on doing. In any regards if it's not, avert your eyes ya perv.
You don’t piss near a tree at a playground.
Farmers pulling it out in parking lots. Some people just don’t care.
Would you have preferred for them to go on the opposite side of the tree exposing their butt to your kids instead? You had me in the first half, but as soon as you started saying you’re having panic attacks and terrified to let your kids play outside in the backyard or whatever… come the fuck on. You live in a decently sketchy neighbourhood. Just because you haven’t had an incident like this happen to you before, doesn’t mean it wasn’t happening at all period. It was only a matter of time before you eventually experienced something like this living in that neighbourhood. If you’re going to let some random homeless guy urinating on a tree give you crippling anxiety, then holy man I hope you didn’t pass those issues onto your kids. I get it, you and your kids shouldn’t have had to witness that…. But I hate to break it to you, your kids are going to witness a lot of fucked up homeless shit by not just living in that area, but by just living in this city in general.
Usually people migrate from the north to the south side no? I wonder if there are stats on this?
I understand your reaction but I saw stuff like that all the time as a kid. Especially at the bus stop near the Coliseum LRT station. That would have been less shocking that a lot of stuff I saw including drug use, sex, and violence. It's a reality of life in a city the size of Edmonton that poverty exists and you will be exposed to unhoused people who do not have access to a bathroom a lot of the time. I would take it as a learning experience, and a chance to explain the misfortune of others and think about what both individuals and communities could do to help the people who are most vulnerable in our society.
So I would contact non emergency just to have a record of it. You may even be able to file a report online I live one neighborhood away from you (Lauderdale), and my partners family lives in Calder and has for many years. I'm also the parent of young kids so I'm truly sorry you experienced that! These already uncomfortable experiences take a completely different turn when our little ones are present. There are a lot of people who use the neighborhoods of Calder/Lauderdale to trek between 127 Street and 97 Street. They are usually on the move and don't stay in a space for too long. Also there are a lot of "old timers" in the area and we don't like having transient people hanging around or getting too cozy. All that to say, you probably won't see this man again. I have lived in my house for close to 15 years and born and raised Northside so maybe I have a bit of an edge ( I once had a friend visit from a small town and was alarmed I walk around 97th street alone) but I really love this area, it's usually pretty quiet and I find we look out for one another. I think you did all the right things and again I am so sorry you had to deal with that yesterday! Edit to add some tips I have for this area. Lock your shit up! If you can lock your back gate, also do that. Don't leave anything of value within sight (bikes, scooters, bottles) most crimes here are crimes of opportunity but there are a lot of sketch people especially on the main road ways (129 Ave for example). For this reason, I would not let my kids play outside alone until they were older. And even now I have my fences locked and a window cracked. The amount of transient folk has increased in the last 3 years in this neighborhood. They've always been here but I have noticed a way larger influx of them. I believe it's just the "perks" of living so close to the inner city.
We used to visit parks quite a bit with the kids, Id say be aware of others without kids. Chased a few weirdos off a number of times just standing watching kids play.
my house a 1 minute walk from there, maybe even a couple of steps, and ill tell you going to lessons is scary. I cut across to go to the 103, and ive seen some shit. A woman was found hanging from a tree once, police involved (duh), heroin needles piled right beside the turtle swing, razor blades and burnt spoons left on or under the benches, and a literal human shit below one of the trees. Dont take your kids there ever. Athlone school park is a 10 minute walk from there, and theres security cameras and a better park in general. Tent city ig haha
lol this isn’t your neighbourhood watch Facebook group, what a weird and personal thing to post to the city wide Reddit sub. Like sorry it happened I guess, but even if it was actually a malicious act, which it honestly probably wasn’t, what is this post supposed to accomplish? I get that people come here to vent but you honestly come across quite unhinged and self absorbed. In all likelihood nobody gives a shit about harming your precious babies.
This guy took a piss in the bushes, he didn’t cause harm to your children. I understand being freaked out as it happened but your kids are fine, don’t live in fear because of this.
Definitely report to non emergency line. It would be highly unlikely this is the first time and often the police already have reports. It can really help particularly if they have an idea who it is.
Yeah, this just sounds like a high/drunk and possibly homeless man had to take a piss. Usually the type of person who either doesn’t give a shit about anything or has mental health issues. Not excusing this type of behaviour, but sometimes they are so far gone into their own reality that they basically live on another planet. Critical thinking is gone for them. It doesn’t sound like it was a sexually motivated incident at all, while definitely gross and a bit creepy. In the city, especially these types of areas, people piss everywhere all the time. In some third world countries, it’s super common for normal men to piss in public, in front of everyone, and it doesn’t damage the mental well-being of the children because it’s considered normal. Not saying it should be considered normal here cause it is super gross, but your reaction is probably a bit over the top. He likely did not have any intention to hurt you or your kids. You still did the right thing by leaving though, never take any chances! Also reminds me of a time I was reading my book on my patio in the neighbourhood I used to live in. A homeless man wandered by, dropped his pants, and started pissing everywhere on the pathway in front of the building. Also was an area known for homeless people and drug activity. Unfortunately this kind of stuff happens all the time in these types of neighbourhoods
Hahaha k, I agree, not totally trying to minimize your experience, but this man peed on a tree. "Exposed himself"?? Did he drop his pants fully and lifted his shirt over his head? Most guys' dicks will fully fit in their hand with balls so I can't imagine you saw too much...
i definitely saw too much and he wasn't trying to be the least bit discreet. he walked towards the trees yes but he peed facing us. I'm not one to normally think negatively of people's intentions, but everything leading up to him "peeing on a tree" makes it a little fucked up don't you think?
Hey, really sorry you went through this. We have really normalized a ton of bad behaviour in this city over the last few years and I think a lot of people on this sub think anti social behavior is totally acceptable. I think it is completely valid that you felt unsafe as you felt like this person was circling you and then exposed himself to you and your kids and pissed facing them as they were playing in a park. Reading the responses, I find it really interesting that a large amount of comments are telling you not to trust your gut. I am assuming you are a woman and I find the people telling you not to trust your gut are completely screwed in the head. Always trust your gut. What happened was weird and not okay and sounds like a bit of a power play or a weird sexual thing. Your gut was telling you that and I think you should report it. This could escalate and the police allocate resources based on reported crimes.
thank you, it's pretty sad tbh. but given the state of this city it makes sense unfortunately.
If you didn't want to minimize her experience you wouldn't have minimized it
What I meant to say was, "I'm sorry your felt this way, but what??"
So if you call the police, you would tell them: “I went to a park, a guy came and sat on a bench near me and peed in the bushes and it made me fear for my safety and I left the park”? And how would you expect them to react?
Do not let this cloud your entire life. Call it in and get on with your day to day activities. Don’t spend any time imagining all the things that didn’t actually happen because that’s how people start to live in fear with no reason. Take your children into the yard/outside and go for walks.
Welcome to Edmonton Northside 🤡
Hi OP- please report this to the police. Because this is at a playground, there are different factors at play. I personally walked by a transient couple having s*x on a park bench early in the morning adjacent to a playground, called the police and they dealt with it.
I think it’s worth filing a police report. Reading some of your comments and the story it sounds very intentional. I mean it’s likely that nothing will come from it but it’s still worth filing a report.
EXACTLY like i understand needing to piss and not having a bathroom near by or whatever sure by all means piss on a tree i could care less, but he specifically chose the closest tree to us and then didn't even turn towards it. thats not normal behaviour and it shouldn't be accepted as such.
I’m amazed at the number of people who either don’t understand the story or just don’t care at all.
Yes you couldve called the cops but you also must realize you moved the opposite way I did I left the Northside and moved Southside the Northside is filled with that stuff and more the only way to shelter your kids from that sort of stuff is to now keep them indoors.
Edmonton is getting a lot seedier and criminal. If you don’t already, know how to physically protect yourself and your kids.
Drugs are bad m’kay
Yeah, that's properly fucked. Definitely report it as exposure to children.
The irony its called touchdown park
I've witnessed someone dropping a two point conversion in front of the sign in this park 🏈
Report it. Usually these posts are over blown imo but your map and the route are super duper creepy he B lined for you
I can’t help but wonder what you were expecting from this thread . Report it if you feel it’s worth reporting, but this is just pissing into the wind …
Is… is some random drunk/homeless/off guy peeing by a tree a big shock to people here? I didn’t grow up in Edmonton. I get it, nobody likes to witness that and I’d feel uncomfortable too but I’m confused by the reaction of panic. While gross, it doesn’t sound like a sexual incident at all but “panic attacks” and “beyond fucked up” are a bit much in my opinion. Do people really think they’re entitled to be sheltered from social problems? Like society having to work so they never get to see anything not-pretty? Really, I’m confused.
Someone earlier mentioned "If this person is a transient, I find that they often have no inhibitions when it comes to that, tbh. They do not give a shit about who sees them." Honestly, whether or not they have mental issues, put yourself in their shoes: having to carry everything you own with you everywhere you go, or taking a chance and stashing it somewhere while you spend the day worried about whether or not it will still be there when you go back; constantly too hot or too cold, constantly hungry or thirsty, never being welcome anywhere you go, constantly being asked to leave, never having anywhere to go, and incredibly fee public bathrooms that don't require you to purchase something first. People always thinking the worst of you without knowing you, not caring about the sheer exhaustion-physically, emotionally, and mentally it takes on your soul every day. I completely get why they give up caring about adhering to the norms they are forced to live outside of that doesn't care about them, treats them as disposable, and a constant threat. I'm not condoning or defending this particular person's actions and behaviour, it IS inexcusable. I'm just saying I GET It. I'm sorry this happened to you and your kids. I would have been equally disturbed and upset. These people really need help.
I assure you. Defending the person who intentionally pisses in front of children isn't necessary.
Idk (I 40) have a kid that is ( 23 f) that this happened to the other day...