Staff Reporter
Residents and shopkeepers have been calling on politicians and police to clean up Queen St. W. for months, warnings that have proven prescient since the stabbing death of Ross Hammond.
Aggressive panhandling and criminal activity have become so bad between Bathurst St. and Gladstone Ave. that 40 neighbours formed the Queen Street West Residents Association in July. "We got together one month ago to talk with the police and the city councillor and tell them that things were getting pretty scary down here," said Kathi Prosser, the group's founder.
Squeegee kids now travel in packs and drug deals have become brazen, she said.
"If people are dealing drugs (in broad daylight) then there's no fear of reprisal," Prosser said, adding that her home has been broken into four times this summer. "The fact that things escalated into murder isn't surprising."
5 comments:
this is becoming beyond stupid.
Who here actually lived on Queen west??
me! I did. I lived on Queen west when it was WAY bloody worse. Yes, I said bloody. I was accustomed to going to work seeing blood on the streets. Not drops, but pools. Take a walk out around 4 or 5 AM, and you will see goings ons that most don't. That was around the mid 90s. And no I didn't live on a side street, my address was Queen st. W.
I don't doubt there are problems but man people really need to check their blood pressure.
But if you have a hate on for Miler, any bandwagon, or, 'cottage industry' will do.
Hypocrisy right in your backyard brother.
A couple of things.....
No one in this corner "hates" Miller. He is the elected mayor and is supposed to provide leadership and his actions lend themselves to criticism.
Secondly I don't understand your defense of Pantaloons....if your description of the conditions is true then I would think your would support the residents/taxpayers of the area.
BTW I was a denizen of the Parkdale area for years and it was a safe area thanks to the rounders who lived in the area.
when was that... 1950?
sorry. Toronto areas are in transition, and that area is well know for it's transition. I watched as that area went from a place where you didn't want to walk on certain streets past 8pm to a hell of a lot different. Yes it still needs improvement. We all do!
I suppose the fact that a kid caught with an AK-47 in my new area, and the cab drivers stabbed to death around the corner, not to mention the home invasion 5 doors down from me which brought 3 task force vehicles with men armed with submachine guns may qualify us as 'in need'.
We are all in need.
If the federal government doesn't wake up to this (ask you hero Fantino who on camera asked for help in convincing the feds for help that they promised...) Toronto isn't going to get much better.
We have been ignored and dumped on by the province starting with Harris, and McGuinty hasn't exactly been mr help until recently.
I am surprised you aren't blaming Diefenbaker or one of the historical leaders of the conservative party.
But that aside I beseech thee to google your way to reports on Harper's Law and Order legislation. If you do and start dealing with the facts you might become a worthy opponent.
We have not been ignored by the province....they made it clear that Toronto is not the King Of The Hill a number of times.
I am sorry for "the fact that a kid caught with an AK-47 in my new area, and the cab drivers stabbed to death around the corner, not to mention the home invasion 5 doors down from me which brought 3 task force vehicles with men armed with submachine guns may qualify us as 'in need'." and if you would post the location of your "new area" I will pass the information onto the community liason officer for that area and they will offer some suggestions on how to protect yourself.
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