Unanimous Approval for Leslieville Homeless Shelter worries Residents

Residents are not particularly pleased with the new homeless shelter coming to Leslieville.

After a unanimous vote, the city allowed the Salvation Army to proceed with men’s HOPE homeless shelter just east of downtown. The shelter will hold 80 beds and provide services such as serving three meals a day and counseling.

“Finding a new location is not easy. Finding a location that meets the basic criteria is not easy. So this was the first facility that came up after two plus years of looking,” said Andrew Burditt, the Divisional Secretary for public relations and development for The Salvation Army.

Esther Marin, a York University student who lives near the proposed development, raised some concerns that she has about this shelter.

“My brother is only five-years-old, how do I make sure he’s safe when he walks home from school?” Marin said.

She said she was glad to hear people are being taken care of, but she did not like the idea of having homeless people attracted to her neighborhood.

“I know there are so many kids and families that live in this neighborhood. And to bring a shelter in here like that would scare the kids,” she said.

Some residents in the neighborhood are worried that putting a homeless shelter in Leslieville will increase drug abuse and make the area unsafe.

However, Burditt said that most of the concerns that are raised about homeless shelters are due to people’s lack of information and understanding.

“Studies don’t show that neighborhoods become unsafe. In fact, I think a homeless shelter such as this offers programs seeking to assist men and get them off the streets are positive things that help make the neighborhood safer,” he said.

Toronto city councillor, representing Ward 32, Mary-Margaret McMahon has been a bigger supporter of this shelter. People need to stop stereotyping homeless people because although they are homeless they do not lack a moral compass, she added.

“Often homeless people are victims of crime versus perpetrators,” said McMahon.

A good way for people to break the stigma and get educated on this subject is to volunteer at a homeless shelter, according to McMahon.

The new shelter replaces one previously at College and McCaul streets, which was closed this past April.

There will be 15 new homeless shelters coming to Toronto after HOPE’s homeless

The shelter will be expected to open late August or September.

About the Author

Alicia Phan is a third year journalism student at the University of Guelph-Humber. She wishes to become a famous food critic or writer who gets paid to try amazing food from all over the world.