'This is my home': Revived meetups bring some of Halifax's Deaf community back together | CBC News

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Members of the Deaf community in Halifax are reviving an old tradition so fewer people feel isolated. They've brought back regular social meetups, inviting anyone who can sign to hang out a couple of times a week.

Similar gatherings were once held on weekends, but the group dispersed in the early '90s when the building they used was torn down. The meetups restarted a decade ago and lasted until they were shut down again because of the pandemic.

Now, some of the people who used to take part have started free meetups at Northwood's Halifax campus, where they play games and do crafts in a community space.

"I've been seeing a number of people who are lonely and don't have an ability to sign with other people," Mike Perrier said through interpreter Tammy Smith.

"I want to see deaf people have the same opportunities as the hearing community. They have good times and activities, and we'd like to do the same thing."

Perrier describes a thriving social scene for the Deaf community decades ago, when they used a former fire hall in the city. They played darts, cards and had bowling and curling teams.

Now that Perrier is retired, he decided it was time to bring back that sense of community. The meetups are held at least twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Fridays.

He said he worries about young people who graduate from school, and suddenly no longer have their support systems. He said it's easy to feel isolated in the city because so few people can sign.

"Right now, as an example, my apartment building, everybody's friendly but nobody signs. You wave hello to each other and that's it," said Perrier. "But when you come here, this is my home. So I come and this is where I laugh, shed some tears and all of that."

The group ranges in age from people in their 30s to 80s. Their faces light up as they see each other.

Matthew Hazlett is the youngest. He's originally from Windsor, N.S., and struggled to find his footing when he moved to Halifax.

"It can be a little bit frustrating when you don't know the network, when you don't know there's a [Deaf] community," he said through Smith. He sees the Northwood meetups as a safe space, and a place to learn.

Some of his new friends have been teaching him older signs from Maritime Sign Language, which is derived from British Sign Language and uses two-handed spelling.

"It's a nice experience to share," said Hazlett.

Franklyn D'eon, 80, said bringing back the meetups has made a world of difference for him. He lives in Northwood -- a continuing care facility -- and can't wait to come downstairs on Wednesdays and Fridays.

He still laments the loss of the fire hall decades ago, but has hope that once word gets out, more people will come to Northwood.

"I'd like to do more," D'Eon said through an interpreter. "It would be nice to see different faces."

Betty MacDonald agrees. She said even places like Northwood have a long way to go to making things accessible for the Deaf community, but allowing these meetups is a great step.

"It's more about the idea that we are not isolated," she said.