Seniors' centre in Sudbury frustrated with nearby encampment, says city response has been slow
CBC
The Ukrainian Seniors' Centre in Sudbury said it's frustrated with a nearby encampment of homeless people that is disturbing its residents' outdoor enjoyment.
Officials with the seniors centre said the encampment popped up one week ago in Hnatyshyn Park at the corner of Elm and Lloyd streets, on the other side of the fence from their building, and has grown to include a few tents of people.
In the days since, the centre said there has been garbage, needles, and human feces thrown over the fence onto their property, as well as people hanging around the area at all hours of the day.
"It's right in our backyard," said Anna Johnston, executive director of the Ukrainian Seniors' Centre.
Johnston said senior residents of the Ukrainian Centre have voiced their concerns about the encampment and they no longer like to go outside to sit or work in the garden.
"They never go outside alone because they don't know who's lurking there or who's going to jump over the fence at any given time or be yelled at," explained Johnston.
"So they just turn around and go back up inside."
Johnston added another problem the Ukrainian Seniors' Centre is having with the encampment is the use of the facility's outdoor water. Johnston explained that people from the encampment will jump over the fence and hook up their own hoses to the centre's water spout it uses for gardening.
Oftentimes, Johnston said, after this happens they will find the water left on and their own hose leaking all night.
Adding to the Ukrainian Seniors' Centre's frustration, is the slow response it says it's been receiving from city officials on the issue.
Johnston said in previous years when people have tried setting up tents in the same spot, she called the city's 311 line and by-law officers took care of the complaint right away.
This time, Johnston said it took days to receive a reply from a bylaw officer, and the response only came after she had called and sent photos and emails to the city, bylaw, police, and her councillor, Joscelyne Landry-Altmann.
"So usually this is a 48 hour turn around, but it's been one week, seven or eight days since this all began," explained Johnston.
She said Landry-Altmann has been in contact with her and is working on addressing the complaint with the city.
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