Do The Homeless Not Have A Right To Be Part Of The Action

I appreciate that someone at City Hall is concerned about my tax $$$ but it would seem to me that the homeless have as much right to be part of the entertainment district as any other business. Has Adam Vaughan actually discussed this matter with the homeless people?

Cheaper locations eyed for homeless shelter
By ZEN RURYK, CITY HALL BUREAU CHIEF

A controversial proposal to establish a homeless shelter in the Entertainment District hit a snag yesterday.

Concerns that the city may be poised to spend too much -- $4.7 million -- on a Peter St. building prompted members of the city's government management committee to direct municipal officials to look at alternative locations.

"We have had identified to us cheaper buildings in the vicinity," said Councillor Adam Vaughan, who represents the area.

Committee chairman Gloria Lindsay Luby added that council received a confidential report outlining potential alternatives to the Peter building. Council will grapple with the issue later this month.

Bruce Bowes, the city's chief corporate officer, said the proposed deal calls for Toronto to pay $360 a square foot for the building, which contains 13,000 square feet of space, including the basement. Plans call for the city to do renovations that would add an additional $560,000 to the cost.

Michael Emory, president of Allied Properties REIT -- owner of 1.5 million of the 8-million-square foot office space in the King St.-Spadina Ave. area -- said he was aware of three properties that can be acquired for between $120 to $140 a square foot.

Businessman James Somerville said he and a partner bought a building next to the one on Peter less than a year ago for $213 a square foot.

He argued it is an inappropriate location for a shelter.

"This is the club district -- on any Saturday, Friday night, Thursday night, you'll have thousands of kids out there -- and unfortunately they've been drinking too much," Somerville said.

"Now you're going to send back a guy or a woman who has made an effort to turn her life around into this crowd where it's highly probable that there'll be hazing? There'll be ridicule?"

He said his partner recently offered the city the opportunity to buy their building.