Tent cities are popping up everywhere and no one in authority seems to care. This is what I mean.
Every couple of weeks I will jump on the TTC to take a bag of donations up to the Salvation Army on St. Clair West. After I look over the used book section I walk home. Since I pick days when the weather is good I change up my route so I can explore different parts of the city.
On my last trip, I decided I wasn’t going to detour to Trinty Bellwoods Park because not only are there a growing number of tents, on Wednesday September 9th, a man (sic) commanded his dog to attack a journalist. And of course that was in broad daylight, not that it would matter. (For anyone who is interested, Joe Warmington, from The Toronto Sun, wrote an article about the incident on Saturday September 12th, titled, T.O. goes to the dogs: Campers release the hounds. I would include a link yet they usually break. Sorry.)
Instead of going down Christie Street and stopping at Christie Pits, I walked along St.Clair because the thought of seeing tents at Chrisite Pits had my stomach in knots.
One thing I was not expecting was to see two police cars at the side of the road. Curious, I walked down to the ravine and saw a man being arrested. After I asked a woman, who I am guessing called the police, where the path lead, (not what happened) I happily meandered along. The leaves were changing colours, the path was litter free, people had their dogs on leashes and there were even a few birds to be heard. I was enjoying myself. That is until I noticed a blue tarp attached to a tree next to the top of a red tent, next to another tent and another! Tucked in the trees, tents were everywhere. Ugh! I decided to look the other way only to see tents on that side too! Double ugh!!
As I glanced over to a tent a guy was standing beside, he gave me cut-eye. And that’s the M.O. for people in tent city– to intimidate whoever doesn’t live there so no one will disturb them. I was not about to disturb someone who looked disturbed so I left–quite hurriedly wondering if the woman I saw earlier knows about the ravine’s latest tenants.
Back on concrete, I found a quiet side street. Walking in a well-kept area on a warm afternoon was enough for me to forget about the ravine’s tents and that aggressive-looking guy. In fact, I forgot about a lot of things until I reached Queen’s Park Court. It was then as I was talking on my cell that I noticed a tent, and then another until I counted five! What were five tents doing there and how long have they been there? Both were crazy questions. Why wouldn’t there be tents in that park? There are tents everywhere!
Allan Gardens has two tents but it did have three. Moss park always has over fifteen tents. Trinty Bellwoods has countless tents partly because it is a HUGE park. Actually the only park that I and my friends can think of that doesn’t have a tent is Riverdale Park. Someone said it was because the councillor, Paula Fletcher won’t put up with it. Which is the opposite of what the other councillors are considering. Some of them believe that we, society, should provide basic winter needs. Like clean and safe power sources, survival and cooking gear, generators and warming stations. (Sue-Ann Levy from The Toronto Sun wrote a great article on Thursday October 1st titled, Party’s over, folks: One homeless encampment gone, another 349 to go.)
Now I don’t know how much thought anyone has given to the cost of above however, I have given a lot of thought as to why people would choose to live outside in a tent versus a hotel room with laundry service twice a week, a warm bed, fresh sheets and towels at least once a week, (some) cable and in most cases the internet. I am of the belief that people are choosing to live outside, in the elements because they have weapons and drugs. Both of which are not allowed in hotels and shelters. Hotels and shelters also have curfews, which if you are choosing to have a lifestlye that includes weapons and drugs would have you arrested.
If police did random checks on tents they would know that, but sinceToronto is a santuary city, no one can. And people who choose to live in tents know that. That is why there are more tent cities.
As usual, I could go on, yet I won’t.
Here is a link to A. Rebel’s Rant! Today’s blog is called, Do You (Still) Like Your Neighbourhood?
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