Bellevue Square Park is the main recreational space for residents, businesses and visitors to Toronto’s iconic Kensington Market.   

THE PROBLEM

Since the Pandemic, the Park has been the site of an encampment that has lately grown to literally take up the useful entirety of the grass covered half of the park while families with children are deterred from using the playground, the washrooms are filthy and the entire site strewn with garbage, food waste, human waste, stolen goods and drug paraphernalia.  Sonya's Parkette is another small park located nearby on Oxford Street that has been similarly impacted by campers squatting on public land.

The City of Toronto is challenged to find viable accommodation for the homeless, mentally ill, partiers and other campers currently squatting on public land, but in the interim, this important, small and unique recreational space is rendered utterly unusable for the public and visitors alike.  

Bellevue Square Park is a catastrophe for Toronto’s economy showcasing our tragic inability to solve basic social problems: 

·      A mental health crisis is on display here for all to see with open drug use, scattered drug paraphernalia and deaths from overdose.

·      Criminal activities (well documented) such as open drug dealing, thefts, vandalism and trespassing are increasing at an alarming rate.    

·      Noise at all hours is depriving residents of the quiet enjoyment of their properties while local businesses already struggling post pandemic are under constant siege by aggressive campers scaring and threatening customers and staff.  

After FOUR years it is clear that the city’s strategy (if any) is not working.

Enough is enough.   The situation cannot be allowed to continue in a park, smaller than a football field in one of the most vibrant, touristed areas of Toronto.   We refuse to be held hostage by campers squatting on public land while the City ignores its obligations to the homeless and housed alike. 

THE DEMAND

The undersigned residents, business owners, taxpayers, workers, patrons and visitors emphatically demand that the City of Toronto remove the campers to actual dignified public housing or to a more suitable campsite that that does not threaten the well-being of nearby residents, children and businesses nor undermine the economy of our neighbourhood and city.