St Lawrence Neighbourhood Community Petition

Local Residents, schools and businesses have massive concerns regarding a  homeless shelter set to open on May 29th, 2020 that has moved to Novotel at 45 The Esplanade. This proposed opening has not received public consultation and is leased for 3 months with a renewal clausure by St. Felix Centre and moved to Novotel making it a larger shelter that has already caused insecurity and vandalism in the area.

Among the impacted and areas affected:

Senior Residence ( Performing Arts Lodge ) 110 Esplanade

Olders Women’s Network_ Old York Tower - 85 The Esplanade

Market Street Residents

The Esplanade Residents

Front Street Residents

Downtown Alternative School (DAS)

L-Tower Condos _ 8 The Esplanade

2 playgrounds and kids here exposed to insults and shouting.

St Lawrence Market

St Lawrence a Farmers Market

Front Street Businesses

St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Businesses 

The Esplanade Businesses

St. Michaels Hospital that is already overcrowded with ER

St. Michaels Catholic School

LCBO Front Street

The Esplanade and Market Street Restaurants

It is well understood the need for home shelters, and Recently Riverside Square has opened door for affordable housing program and new developments for this purpose in the area from Regent Park continue and developments have already invested for this.

Why Downtown Toronto is growing with more and more shelters and forcing residents to move elsewhere?  The face of Toronto is changing and Senior residents who have lived here most of their lives are vulnerable and  at risk.

Due to recent history of assaults happening at any time of day near homeless shelters and areas in Toronto nearby (Yonge/Esplanade, Market Street/ Esolanade, Church/Front, Front/Jarvis, The Esplanade/ Jarvis, Yonge/ Dundas; Jarvis St./ Carlton, Gerard/Sherbourne St.) we are very concerned this will cause insecurity, hygiene issues, increased drugs and vandalism in Old Toronto.

Please voice your concerns to our Toronto Mayor and sign this petition, residents are very concerned this will change the safety of our loved St. Lawrence Neighbourhood that has caused a lot of consequences to the residents and visitors in this area.

Recent vandalism and window shattering in the past few weeks  to:

Shoppers Drugmart (lower jarvis), GoodGood (Esplanade), Gateway News twice in 2 weeks (Esplanade), Sharwma house (Esplanade), Cafe Berkley (Esplanade), The beauty supply and Tea shop (Church St.) Another 7 shops, they got in and stole their POS system and wine bottles In one day. Wild Wing, Subway, EQ3, all within the last few weeks. Fuzen multiple times got broken windows too.

Voice concerns to:

Mayor_Tory@toronto.ca 416-397-2489

Councillor_Wong-Tam@Toronto.ca 416-392-7903

Councillor_Cressy@Toronto.ca  416-392-4044

 

 

Photo credits -Kristjan Veski