Tag: Roehampton & Broadway Shelters

COVID-19 Emergency Homeless Shelters (Roehampton Residence & Broadway Residences)

Sparse crowds duel over shelters, Councillor, MP tweeting

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.



Rally planned to protest Broadway & Roehampton shelters

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

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.”



Fire at Broadway hostel contained with no reported injuries

Residents of Broadway-Roehampton say they fear homeless

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



Residents note incident calls near Roehampton Hotel site

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.

City pledges safety staff, new cameras at Roehampton Hotel

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.

Roehampton Hotel on Mt. Pleasant now a homeless shelter

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