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Recently, I attended a conference at Windsor’s waterfront DoubleTree Hotel. Admiring the view upon arrival, I was shocked by the sight of a homeless man, sleeping on the grass in the cold December rain next to Riverside Drive.
Over three days, I made efforts to help ‘Ryan’ in small ways — coffee, snacks, a tensor bandage for his injured knee, and words of encouragement. Thank you to the amazingly kind DoubleTree staff.
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I suggested he visit the Downtown Mission and other local resources/shelters, or contact family. I asked police on patrol to conduct a wellness check and called 311 for advice. I found no solutions. I could offer no meaningful assistance.
To be clear, Ryan neither approached me nor anyone else that I saw. He didn’t move for days. I saw no drugs, he was coherent at all times, I saw no weapons. He admitted to me that he could not go to the mission due to his own unacceptable behaviour while in the shelter.
He was simply there, a stark reminder of the gaps in our community’s support system.
When it comes to homelessness, why not convene experts, create a list of viable solutions, and implement one? The complexity of the issue is no excuse for inaction.
Meanwhile, Windsor continues with its downtown revitalization efforts by adding lighting, increased policing, and improved signage, along with creative spaces in parking garages. These are admirable initiatives, but they sidestep the homelessness crisis entirely.
Visitors do not avoid Windsor because of homelessness. They encounter the same challenges in their own cities. Pushing the homeless out of Ouellette Avenue merely moves the problem elsewhere without addressing it.
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Affordable housing projects seldom prioritize those experiencing chronic homelessness. What about offering money and support to current landlords with empty houses/businesses?
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A friend with extensive knowledge of Windsor’s homeless population said to me, “You can’t have stable people without stability.” Stability requires sustained investment in housing, health care, and social services. Not just temporary shelters or police intervention.
Stacey Ray
Windsor
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