On November 9th, 2023, I was sent the following email. I found the email very insightful. I spoke at some length with the person who wrote the letter. He wanted his “story” told. I obtained permission to use his words after redacting information which might identify where he lives and other personal information. He is one of 13,000 people who live in James Bay.
Days later, residents reported 16 “tents” in Irving Park. A doubling since October.
Marg
Date: November 9, 2023 at 5:43:45 PM PST
Message: I have lived in James Bay over thirty years.
Used to enjoy taking my friend who is legally blind to Irving Park. Time in the sun and nature.
Would not do that now.
Am over fifty and have had my own struggles with addiction, including IV drug use. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. I quit that. So I am not a hater.
For many years, ‘soft’ drugs were tolerated in Irving park. Have a beer or a joint well away from those not wanting to be exposed to that XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.
People policed themselves. Those who were too wasted were asked to leave. Violence never occurred.
Now things are completely different. People addicted to meth and crack have been pushed out of other areas of town.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, I am rough looking and can speak the language of the street.
If I am physically threatened with violence for simply being in the park, that addicts claim as their own, there’s some seriously wrong.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, but I feel like I have no voice and don’t matter.
Don’t feel like city council cares about anything that is important to me.
Forcing one to do everything online silences my voice. I am not able to do that online stuff.
Councillors are pushing ideological agendas that come from anti-social media ideas not grounded in any factual reality.
If I don’t feel safe in Irving park, I can assure you that 99.9 of humanity will not.
Please continue to advocate for those who XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX community here, as opposed to the ‘dumpster’ of online platforms.
On November 13th, 2023, I was sent the following email. I spoke with the author of the email and obtained permission to use his words after redacting information which might identify where he and others mentioned in the email live. Those mentioned are seniors who form 40% of the 13,000 residents of James Bay.
From:
Subject: Irving Park [!!]
Date: November 13, 2023 at 10:58:49 AM PST
To: Marg
Hello Marg
This from our XXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX XX XXXXXX;
The homeless and addicted people camping in Irving Park have terrified the residents of XXXX XXXXX [age 55 and above] to the extent that many now refuse to go outside – daytime or night -time. Needless to say, this is bad for their health, both physical and mental.
The campers have:
* assaulted an elderly resident walking past the Park and attempted to steal his wallet
* repeatedly stolen XXXXXXXXX bins, which must be outside for truck pickup, and which the campers use to hold and carry their stuff. The trucker refuses to allow the bins to be chained.
* crawled into the very large refuse bin and pooped in it.
Annoyance with Council’s refusal to act is reaching the boiling point among our residents.
I hope the above will give you some more ammunition to fire at the Council.
Best wishes, and thank you for your work on JB’s behalf!
XXXX XXXX
XXXXXXX XXXX