An Oshawa man is working to help provide shelter for homeless people in the region.
Taylor Bailey, the Oshawa man who slept outside in frigid temperatures to raise awareness for Durham’s homeless community, and his fellow community advocates are taking their work a step further and building cardboard shelters to deliver to individuals on the streets.
“With COVID-19 going on, it’s nice to say ‘self-isolate’,” Bailey said.
“But when you don’t have a home or a place to do that, it’s difficult.”
Bailey is putting the shelters together alongside his friend and community advocate Richard Peart, who has been working with people on the streets for more than 15 years.
“It’s a community I’ve been taking care of for a long time. Who wants to see poverty?” said Peart.
Despite their best intentions, the pair’s cardboard concept has been criticized by some.
Bailey says some people have told him: “‘Oh wow, a cardboard box. We can do better than that.'”
“Well, then — let’s do it,” he said.
“They’re sitting out there with nothing. They’re lucky if they have a sleeping bag or a blanket.”
According to the pair, the structures can withstand strong winds and hold up to 1,000 pounds.
Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter says he applauds the effort, but would like to see a more permanent solution.
“I really admire the ‘out of the box’ thinking,” Carter said.
“But my ultimate goal is that every individual should have a safe place to sleep. Every individual should have a bed to sleep in. Every individual should have a roof over their head.”
For individuals who are currently struggling, the mayor says he hopes they will pay a visit to Back Door Mission, a hub in downtown Oshawa where people can access all types of support.
Meanwhile, Bailey and Peart hope organizations will help them eventually upgrade their shelters and make them permanent fixtures within the community.