The sense that Christie Pits is not a safe place after dark is once again creeping in. And it’s not just the park itself — the surrounding area is also beginning to feel far less open and welcoming. This summer, there has been violence and crime at two annual festivals held nearby. In early June, the Do West Fest, just a few blocks south of Christie Pits, was shut down early due to overcrowding and more than 40 incidents of theft; the next month, Salsa on St. Clair, a few blocks north, was abruptly cut short when a shooting match erupted in the crowd, leading to two deaths and five injuries. Even the famed Taste of Little Italy festival a short walk away on College Street felt overcrowded and unsafe this year, as if a spark could ignite at any moment.