Homeless camp numbers continue to grow in Dawson Park near Riverdale
Homeowners in Riverdale say the number of homeless camps in the nearby river valley continues to grow.
When Ray Vallee moved into the neighbourhood in 2005, he said the nearby trails in Dawson Park were a source of pride, clean and well-maintained.
"I was quite happy to take my friends up for walks into the park, just to enjoy the trails," he said. "They were wonderful. And then starting in '07 I noticed that we were starting to get camps."
Now, there are dozens of camps within a few hundred metres of his property, he said, and garbage — including gas tanks, bottles and used syringes — has accumulated everywhere.
"Normally, you'd see a lot of people walking their dogs up in that area ... you don't see that any longer, simply because we are afraid to let our dogs run by themselves up in the area."
Vallee said his wife and several of his neighbours also avoid the park now out of concern for their safety.
One of those neighbours is Jennifer Pede, who has lived in Riverdale for a decade. She only moved across the street to a park-fronting property three years ago, and that's when she became aware of the issue.
"Often fights, screaming, things like that. It's not uncommon in the summer to hear noise coming from those camps late at night, so we'll often be calling the police to come out to deal with that."
'Help is needed'
The transition has been disturbing, Vallee said, particularly since so many of the homeless people have addictions and mental-health problems.
And while it fluctuates from year to year, the situation is now the worst it has ever been, he said.
What started as a seasonal event has now become a year-round issue, said Pede. In the past, park rangers have gone into the camps and asked the people living there to move on.
"Now, people from Boyle Outreach Community are more and more involved and trying to help where help is needed," Vallee said.
"I'm all for it. I have a lot of sympathy for people who are living rough like that, it's obviously very difficult — and any help that can be provided by …. anyone who can provide help is certainly welcome."
However, Vallee said workers with Boyle Street often don't have the space to relocate those living in the river valley.
And while Pede commends their efforts, she said the combined forces of the city and outreach workers is just not enough.
"What I'd really like to see is to have our city supported by our other levels of government — so provincial and federal government — to provide assistance for the cities to deal with this issue," she said.
"Clearly, there's gaps in our system."
Both Vallee and Pede agree that eviction is not the solution. Instead, they'd like to see the root problem — a lack of social housing — addressed.
"It's not a civic issue, it's a social issue," he said.
