A Tent City Is Emerging In Peterborough At Victoria Park
/With the closure of the Warming Room until they can find a new home, a Tent City is emerging at Victoria Park where the homeless are living.
There have a been a couple tents there since May, but now about 20 tents have popped up in recent days since the Warming Room—where the homeless could stay overnight—announced its lease has expired with Murray Street Baptist Church, which could no longer house them until the Fall as they are going through renovations.
Photo by Neil Morton, PTBOCanada
“City staff and community partners have been working hard to help those affected by the closure of the Warming Room,” says Mayor Therrien in a media release. “As of July 1st, there are 20 beds available to those are living rough.”
Photo by Neil Morton, PTBOCanada
Mayor Therrien adds that outreach works are actively reaching out to make connections between people staying in tents and available housing or shelter accommodations—a process that takes time.
Photo by Neil Morton, PTBOCanada
In the meantime, with the city in a heat wave right now, there is growing concern for the health and welfare for these people living in tents.
As such, a free water station has been set up for the remainder of the week in Mayor Therrien’s parking space at City Hall parking lot near Victoria Park. There is also a portable washroom located in the park, and a supply tent where people can drop off donations.
The water station set up at City Hall parking lot (photo courtesy City of Peterborough)
As well, many local organizations such as PARN are stepping up to help out.
As are concerned individuals in the community, such as Laurie English, who dropped off a bunch of supplies such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, body wash, disposable razors, juice boxes and individually wrapped crackers to the supply tent at Victoria Park on Thursday (July 4th).
”My donation doesn’t scratch the surface of the need, but when you are blessed as we are it’s the right thing to do,” English tells PTBOCanada. Indeed, every donation and kind gesture adds up to making a great impact.”
Photo courtesy Niki Allday
