Tag: Roehampton & Broadway Shelters

Small but vocal groups exchanged insults on Mt. Pleasant Rd. Saturday outside Northern Secondary School. The presence of homeless shelters at the former Best Western Roehampton Hotel at 808 Mt. Pleasant and at 55/65 Broadway Ave near Yonge St. have created tensions between residents. Some want the shelters moved, others disagree how to resolve issues such as public drug use and needles being left in schoolyards and parking lots. Councillor Josh Matlow (Ward 12) and MP Rob Oliphant have tweeted. Readers may discern a difference in tone.

Volunteers have hand delivered flyers in recent days outlining the plans for a rally on Saturday, August 15th, 2020 between 10am – 4pm in front of Northern Secondary School. Identified as the Mt. Pleasant/Eglinton Community Group, they hope to restore safety to the area following the opening of two emergency homeless residences in the area. The City of Toronto have moved homeless Torontonians into 808 Mt. Pleasant Road and 55-65 Broadway Avenue in an attempt to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the homeless community. More

• City in talks to move homeless people out of tents in 2 parks as nearby residents say they feel unsafe
• Residents group helping city house homeless on Broadway
• City councillor says he wasn’t consulted on Midtown shelters
• Toronto residents group concerned about homeless shelter in former Roehampton Hotel
• Politicians, residents concerned after lease for midtown temporary shelter is extended
• Temporary housing for homeless in old Toronto hotel leads to safety concerns
• Neighbours, local politicians express frustration at ‘unacceptable’ behaviour at Yonge and Eglinton area homeless shelters
• GOLDSTEIN: COVID-19 straining city’s shelter system

The rally has become a controversial issue among residents of the neighbourhood. There seems to be honest concern for the safety of neighbours, shelter staff and its residents, but the method for addressing the issues has created some tensions. Councillor Josh Matlow tweeted, “To those who’ve asked about these flyers- I strongly disagree with holding this rally in the midst of health, housing & opioid crises. It won’t improve safety or reflect well on our community. Let’s not succumb to fear. Let’s be kind & remain focused on addressing our challenges.”

The city has just put out a very bare bones press release saying there was a fire this afternoon at the emergency shelter on Broadway that has been the source of much concern. "The fire has been contained and there are no reports of injuries at this time." https://t.co/06dYx3PExv

— Jennifer Pagliaro (@jpags) August 6, 2020

The two buildings on Broadway Avenue are expected to close on Sept. 7 as the condo project for the site moves forward, which means the 149 residents will need to be moved again. The city has a two year lease with the Roahampton Hotel, 808 Mt. Pleasant Road, which concerns many residents who say they’re worried about what it will mean for the area.

Community members have planned an impromptu meeting to discuss the shelters this evening (Wednesday) at 6:30pm at June Rowlands Park. Follow this link for Facebook Event page.

City of Toronto information about the shelters can be found at this link. There is a virtual Community Engagement Session scheduled for August 19, 2020 between 6-8 pm. The link to the online session and the call-in number will be available on this page one hour before the session is set to begin. The session will be recorded and available after. Residents are encouraged to send in questions in advance of the session by contacting Swerhun Inc. – the designated Community Engagement Facilitator. Meeting link will be available on August 19.

53 Division Update on Homelessness Services in the community

Area residents who are sensitive to the presence of a homeless shelter in the Roehampton Hotel at 808 Mt. Pleasant Rd. are on the alert for calls to the location. Two such calls were made by 53 Division personnel on Tuesday. One was at 4.40 p.m. for a dispute and the second for unknown trouble at 9.04 p.m.

A post to the Davisville Parents Facebook account describes the security concerns of residents now that the Roehampton Hotel, 808 Mt. Pleasant Rd., has been converted to a homeless shelter. It is said the City plans to provide additional members of the Toronto Community Housing Safety Unit in the Roehampton community area. The City has said that five additional surveillance cameras will be operational by Monday. The neighborhood of private homes, condominiums and rentals is part of the Mt. Pleasant Village BIA. It has two schools close to the Roehampton Hotel, Eglinton Junior Public School and Northern Secondary School.

The City of Toronto has obtained the use of the Roehampton Hotel at 808 Mt. Pleasant Rd. and is using it to house homeless people as an apparent attempt to keep them safe from COVID-19. The forlorn old building — once a handy Midtown Best Western — is slated to be demolished at some point. The use of the site to house the homeless has generated inquiries and complaints to Ward 12 Councillor Josh Matlow. There is also a long thread of comment at Leaside Community Facebook. Concern ranges across such things as personal safety to sharp advice not to be a nimby. FB