18b Yonge Street: The hidden homeless

“When I barbeque, I get to look over 18b Yonge Street” commented Bijan in the middle of a discussion about Toronto’s civic condition.

“There’s an 18b Yonge Street.  I walk along there every day…where is it?” I asked.

 “It’s the property between 18 Yonge Street and the Railway Tracks”he replies.

I visualize that area.  18 Yonge Street is a new condominium bulding (within the last 2 years), one of many built in the area to house an upwardly mobile, yet transient group that mostly work in the downtown core.  They work in the office towers or attend the many schools nearby.  Most of the occupants are in their late teens to mid 20’s (though you find the odd older individual or couple with baby).  Some are professionals just starting their career, some are here on student visas (and working on the side), some are in the pink collar industry (living three or four per apartment).  The vast majority of the residents are renters and the vacancy rate can make your head spin. 

Walking by on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday one can’t help like feeling they’re walking by a fraternity house, with yelling inside and outside the buildings, loud drunks stumbling along, and the stench of funny tobacco.  Yet, this building and its sister buildings are promoted as ‘prestigious’ buildings by their owners and managers.  What ever happened to the advertising watchdogs?   

Yes, I’m familiar with building and what’s next to it… there is no 18b Yonge Street.

Then he explains to me “Right beside the building along he north side is the bottom edge of the slope from the tracks.  There are people that have build cardboard houses and are living there.  You can’t see them from the street because they’ve blocked the view from Yonge Street with plywood.  The trains can’t see them because of the bush and steep slope.  We can see them because we’re looking straight down and can see the people coming and going.”

Well, I’ve been thinking about what he said for months.  In fact every day that I walk by I take a look at the plywood and once in a while I see someone sneaking out of the entrance.  I wonder how these homeless souls can live there.  It is bad enough for those living inside the new, supposed sound proofed buildings, how the heck can these souls manage it?

Then I realize, what choice do they have?

Growing up in Toronto I never thought would see this happening in our once great city.  I’ve travelled the world and seen squatter settlements dominatre hillsides, but in Toronto?  For the last few years we’ve had a civic government so concerned with taxing car drivers and forcing the TTC onto the citizens, but what about the very serious issue around just being able to live in the city?

As for the squatterers, I don’t know who they are, or what their story is.  But, not a day goes buy that I don’t wonder.  Then I think what can I do about it?  What can anybody do about it? (I mean about finding them decent accomodation).  Well, atleast they’re making use of space and it is better than nothing.  As for the cold, snowy winter months, the landscape and geothermal structures will help them survive.

So, next time you see a fancy new condominium building, ask yourself where is the ‘b’?, where are the homeless people living?…they may be closer than you think!

Baldo