The fence some Milton-Parc residents believe was erected to keep homeless people out of an empty lot in the area has been taken down, but not by the developer.
According to the Milton-Parc Citizens’ Committee, community members took the barrier around the space on the corner of Milton Street and Parc Avenue down themselves. Now they want it to stay down.
The group started a petition to “keep the fence down.” They want the vacant lot to continue to be accessible to the neighborhood’s homeless population.
“We are in favour of people having the space they need to exist and for people to be able to develop autonomously, spaces where they can live,” said Milton Parc Citizens’ Committee community organizer Samuel Helguero.
Real estate developer Goldmanco erected the fence in 2020 and the space has sat empty ever since.
“We’re trying to send a signal to the company that putting fences up like this over a vacant property, while there are people who are homeless, sleeping right beside it, or sleeping just across the street from vacant properties like this, is unacceptable,” said Helguero.
The community organizer says the fence forced homeless people onto the stoops of nearby businesses and onto the streets. He blames the fence for its connection in the death of a woman who was hit by a car, allegedly fleeing an abusive partner.
“People are sometimes forced to run to the street in order to have space and Kitty Kakkinerk died as a result,” he told Global News.
Despite multiple phone calls and emails to Goldmanco, the lot’s owner ignored our interview requests.
They even declined a deal with the city.
“We tried to rent part of the land just to give free space for people, just to be assured they are there in security,” said Plateau-Mont Royal Borough Mayor Luc Rabouin, “And we were not able to make a deal with the owner.”
Now that the fence is partially dismantled, homeless people are using the lot once again.
No one knows if the owner will be fixing the fence.
“I would find it inadvisable and probably a waste of money on their part to try to put the fence back up,” said Helguero.
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