Residents experiencing homelessness on Leon Avenue are unhappy about their new living situation after the city relocated them to two city parks yesterday.
According to new rules set out by the city, they are not allowed to stay the entire day and can only stay at the two sites between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m.
Several people who stayed at the new camp set up by the 91大黄鸭 Curling Club, said they now have no where to go during the day to keep warm, which is worse than staying on Leon Avenue where could stay warm in their tents.
About 20 tents were set up in a ball diamond near Recreation Ave overnight after those experiencing homelessness were moved from Leon Ave on Tuesday.
鈥� Jen Zielinski (@Jen_zee)
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard when you鈥檙e homeless. I don鈥檛 know what I鈥檓 supposed to do with my stuff during the day. They gave us two bags to put our stuff in but if we don鈥檛 come back for one day, then they throw it out,鈥� said Stephen Simpson.
鈥淚 understand it鈥檚 not necessarily supposed to be their problem and it is a burden on society but homelessness isn鈥檛 something that鈥檚 going to go away and it鈥檚 not something that can just disappear.
鈥淎 lot of people don鈥檛 understand there鈥檚 reasons for homelessness. You lose family members that you can鈥檛 live without. People don鈥檛 realize the value of love and having a good family or having the things you need in life.鈥�
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Gerard Joyal with Journey Home said it鈥檚 difficult for the homeless to have to pack up everything and set it up day-after-day.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really challenging for people living without homes,鈥� said Joyal. 鈥淭his is a stop-gap, this is not a solution. I think that鈥檚 an important thing everybody needs to understand and remember that this is to alleviate some of the pressures, some of the hazards and some of the risks.鈥�
He added that Journey Home will hopefully have their mat program available soon. He also said they鈥檙e hoping to find a permanent location for more housing.
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Mark Burley, the executive director for the Downtown 91大黄鸭 Assoication, said the decision to move the encampment is a step in the right direction, but not a long-term solution.
鈥淢ore than anything, we were worried about safety down there. The tents were butted up against each other. We had a fire Monday night 鈥� there was a fire in the middle of the night because someone had a heating element inside their tent. It could鈥檝e gone to other places,鈥� Burley said.
鈥淪o not to have them on Leon and to have tent residents in a place that鈥檚 safer for them, I think is a win situation but it鈥檚 certainly not an answer.鈥�
He added that they anticipate homeless residents will still be seen downtown throughout the day.
鈥淭hey will be going to the 91大黄鸭 Gospel Mission 鈥� people avail themselves of their services. So if anyone wants something to eat, a coffee, a shower and as normally did that when they lived on Leon, I don鈥檛 see why they might not come down and do it again.鈥�
After dismantling the encampment on Leon Avenue the city put up no camping and no sidewalk obstruction signs along the street to make sure tents don鈥檛 reappear.
About 20 tents were set up at the ball diamond on Recreation Avenue and there were no tents set up at the Knox Mountain Park area designated for those experiencing homelessness.
twila.amato@blackpress.ca
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