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Imagine being homeless in this weather!
For people who are upset that the houseless are messy, disorganized or lazy imagine having all your possessions exposed to the elements like they were during Thursday's story, or cut a hole in your roof and dump all of your clothing from your dresser and closet and see how long you can keep it all clean and dry.
Or leave home tonight and “play” being homeless and see what it’s like. How many days do you stay on your camping trip when it’s raining or do you even go if the weather report is bad? Imagine living outside all year long.
It’s coming up to the one-year anniversary of when people were removed from an encampment behind Giant Tiger. They were forcibly removed along with having their belongings taken.
Orillia OPP have been actively involved with checking in on people living rough, bringing them food, teaching them how to make safe fires, etc. since the pandemic.
Removing people from one area forced people who were homeless to move onto Peter Street where they were out in the open, exposed to scrutiny. People have to exist somewhere at all times, after all!
This fed into all the apprehension and judgment that comes with encampments. Again, I ask you, how would you fare under similar circumstances and then add on the possibility of a rough childhood, trauma, abuse, poverty, addiction, etc.
This changed the public’s feeling of empathy for those forcibly removed from behind Giant Tiger to feelings of antipathy; humans hate to be shown what might become of them if circumstances were different for them…an injury, a job loss, an eviction, a traumatic event. One thing, usually beyond your control, that might change the course of your life.
And now to hear the idea of a community hub within a year and to see elected officials restore the reputation of our city!?! A fantastic proposal that would take the pressure off of the library, downtown and the new rec centre.
It would help make up for the following decisions:
- Passing a bylaw last July that didn't allow people to put structures on park property but then proposed three park sites for the supportive rapid re-housing project from the county and federal government. This again, brought out all the hate and judgment and almost caused the project to miss the deadline.
- Resisting to even provide porta-potties and garbage removal at a few sites but somehow finding the budget to do so at the Collins Drive boat launch. (Click here for that story.)
- And now, earlier this week, removing people from public property at Bay street. It’s not clear from the article if people were found decent alternative accommodation and given past actions, were not likely to have been helped elsewhere.
Again, people have to exist somewhere at all times. Do you all want to be part of the solution or be part of the problem?
Ellen Wolper
Orillia
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