Jeff Ebarhardt lives in Exhibition Park in Guelph, he shovels the trails during the winter and picks up garbage in the summer, now the community is embracing him as one of their neighbours.

“It’s our home, it’s his home, he’s part of the community the house might not be the same,” said Diane Horn, an area resident.

Ebarhardt has been taking care of the park for nearly three and a half years.

“Might as well do something good with my time,” said Ebarhardt. “If I don’t who will? That’s the way I look at it.”

Some neighbours have started to support Ebarhardt by putting out plastic totes where he can store his blankets and sleeping bags.

“We’ve really developed a friendship, I would say we are friends with Jeff,” said Beth Farley who lives in the area.

Pam Mundy who lives in the Exhibition Park neighbourhood brings him some essentials when he needs them.

“He is very helpful in the community, people do drop by, he told us that at thanksgiving someone came by and brought him a meal,” said Mundy.

Phil Allt, Guelph’s ward 3 councillor recently had surgery, and it was Ebarhardt who came a shoveled his driveway.

“I saw Jeff walking away with our shovel and he’s going somewhere else to shovel other driveways,” said Allt.

With reporting by Tyler Calver