With the closure of the warming centre on June 1 and the sweltering temperatures that have already arrived, many of the vulnerable population are searching for a place to cool off, wash and simply get a drink of water.
However, as the drinking fountains in Memorial Park have been turned off for some time and the warming centre closed as of June 1, there is no access to bathrooms, drinking water, hygiene stations or wound care for people who are homeless in the downtown core. The only amenities available now are services such as the downtown library branch and the small bottle refilling station located just outside the Sudbury Arena.
Despite the clearing of the encampment in Memorial Park on April 1, many of its former residents and other vulnerable community members spend a great deal of time in the downtown core, close to support services, the location of the as yet unopened Supervised consumption site, and the place they have always gathered together.
But after the closure of the encampment, the warming/cooling centre and the city’s shutdown of Memorial Park itself for remediation work, this vulnerable population will have limited water available to them.
Since April of 2020, the city has hosted a warming or cooling centre at the Sudbury Arena, YMCA, Centre de santé communautaire du Grand Sudbury and most recently the 199 Larch Street provincial boardrooms. These have all been discontinued as supports like the Samaritan Centre, Elgin Street Mission and Blue Door Soup Kitchen reopen.
Currently, the water in Memorial Park is off completely at the splash pad, water fountain and water bottle refill stations. The only water available outside within the downtown core is a small bottle refilling station located to the left of the main entrance of the Sudbury arena.
There are also no lights on in the park at night, and the electricity to several poles with outlets on them has been turned off for some time.
In addition to the lack of drinking water, there is also the issue of pandemic-required handwashing to prevent another COVID-19 outbreak. That, and wound care.
Sudbury.com was in Memorial Park on May 31 when a man was struck in the face by another, leaving him with a bloody nose. He was unable to clean the blood that ran down his face, trying both water stations searching for a place to wash, before heading off, nose bleeding onto the paved path.
Sudbury.com also witnessed a person with severe wounds, what appeared to be sores that appear with long-term substance use. They seemed to be infected, and in desperate need of cleaning.
The lack of bathrooms is also an issue, which has led to some using the surrounding area to relieve themselves.
Sudbury.com has reached out to the city to find out if there are plans to turn the water back on in Memorial Park.
“The water fountain in Memorial Park is currently turned off. Water lines were damaged during the recent encampments in the park, and city staff are working to make necessary repairs during the restoration process. The water fountain will be turned on once the first phase of work is complete, which is expected to be no later than mid-June,” stated the spokesperson.
According to a May 6 written interview with the City of Greater Sudbury’s communications team, “Restoration of Memorial Park grounds has begun, starting with a general clean-up of the area.”
“The first phase of work will occur throughout the month of May and includes removal of damaged turf areas, dethatching/aerating of turf, removal of damaged plant materials, removal of existing playground sand and replacement with engineered wood fiber, removal of damaged wooden decking, as well as trimming/removal of shrubs and trees around the perimeter of the park adjacent to the YMCA building.”
Though there are fences surrounding the park area, there does not appear to be any work undertaken as yet.
The second phase of work is said to continue through the month of June and will involve “top dressing and overseeding of turf areas, new sod installation, replacement of various plantings and adding new mulch,” stated the spokesperson. “New alternate playground surfacing will be scheduled for completion in the fall. The timing for completion of various restoration tasks is weather dependent. Fencing will be utilized throughout the restoration process to secure and protect various work areas.”
The work is being undertaken, said the spokesperson, due to damage resulting from encampments.
“Structures were in the same place for the better part of one year, causing damage to the ground and plants. Structures were placed on top of the irrigation system, so we need to ensure it is functioning properly. As well, there will need to be a cleanup of needles that have worked their way into the ground.”
The city said that the remediation would “bring Memorial Park back to its previous service level and support the return of the community to enjoy the Park.”
The Elgin Street Mission and Blue Door Soup Kitchen reopened on March 14, offering indoor dining and drop-in services. The Blue Door Soup Kitchen is open for lunch Monday to Friday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Elgin Street Mission is open for breakfast Monday to Friday, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. and for coffee, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. It is open for brunch Saturday and Sunday, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and open for dinner seven days a week from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Shower and laundry services are available Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.
In addition to the Samaritan Centre and the Elgin Street Mission, the city said they have also made available the Greater Sudbury Public Library branches. According to a previous release from the city, they continue to “offer services to the public and provide a space where individuals can go and access computer resources, washrooms and shelter from the elements.”
While both the Elgin Street Mission and the Samaritan Centre could be considered low barrier in that they will accept those who may be intoxicated, the library is not. As the space is used by community members for another purpose, and those who are disruptive or intoxicated may not be welcome, the library would be considered a high-barrier centre, and therefore, not ideal for those who are using substances or are struggling with mental health.
On June 1, the city also released its new encampment response document. It notes that as complaints about a tent or encampment, a municipal law enforcement officer will then attend the site and “seek voluntary compliance” to vacate the structure and remove belongings, notify outreach and provide a resource handout. Greater Sudbury Police will be notified if the person is on private property. Then, bylaw enforcement will contact the social services client navigators and community outreach.
Jenny Lamothe is a reporter with Sudbury.com. She covers the diverse communities of Sudbury, especially the vulnerable or marginalized, including the Black, Indigenous, newcomer and Francophone communities, as well as 2SLGBTQ+ and issues of the downtown core.
