View From the Homeless Streets

Have you found yourself forced to stand in the wind and rain at a bus stop you could have sworn use to have a bench and shelter? Your memory may not have been playing tricks on you.

I was into Community Services and noticed as I walked by that people were standing around in the rain. I seemed to recall that when the bus routes changed and the street in front of community services became a transit exchange they had put in benches and shelters.

I was commenting about this over lunch and someone at a nearby table informed me that the city has taken to removing bus benches and shelters to prevent the homeless from seeking shelter there. I am not sure whether any one at City Hall could follow a train of thought far enough to realize it also leaves “the right type” of citizens standing in the cold winter rain.

Don’t want them sleeping on bus benches, in bus shelters, doorways, parks, woods, in neighbourhoods etc? Once we are finished with the bus benches and shelters what next? Clear cutting parks and woods? Bulldozing neighbourhoods?

Instead of wasting time, energy and money trying to drive them away from where you do not want them causing problems for citizens try rational behaviour. Decide where you do want them and put in place the facilities to draw them there.

Because we all know what happens with the best laid plans ….

My conversational kibitzer was unfazed by the city’s actions as he just relocated to one of Jimmy’s Places. Those nice shelters and benches built for advertising by Mr. Patterson. With advertising revenue at stake they are sacrosanct and untouched. So while the average citizen stands in the cold rain the homeless, with a fine eye for economics and human nature relocate to Jimmy’s.

Thank you Mr. Patterson. I do not suppose you could find time in your busy schedule to acquaint our local and provincial politicians with the reality of market forces and human behaviour?