West end resident wants elaborate encampment removed, ‘folks are on it,’ councillor says

Jason Roadie has lived in the Sandwich Town neighbourhood of Windsor for 14 years, but said quality of life on his street has plummeted after a homeless encampment popped up a few blocks away.

“We’ve had issues with property getting stolen around here, so one night I followed the guy and that’s when I came across this homeless encampment,” Roadie told CTV News Wednesday.

He said that was three months ago, but the encampment is still there, despite he and his neighbour lodging numerous complaints.

“I’ve called the city because it’s on city property, 311, I called the mayor’s office,” said Roadie.

He said he saw outreach workers pay the site a visit, but still those living at the site remain.

“I understand people are homeless,” Roadie said.

“But if I went and put up a tent in Mic Mac Park they’d kick me out, so what makes it okay for somebody to live on city property?”

He’s especially concerned because those living there have built a makeshift home using bricks or stone slabs left at the location.

A homeless encampment in the Sandwich Town neighbourhood of Windsor, Ont. on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. (Travis Fortnum/CTV News Windsor)

A homeless encampment in the Sandwich Town neighbourhood of Windsor, Ont. on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. (Travis Fortnum/CTV News Windsor)

The site is under tree cover behind a retail space, just down the block from the new John Muir Branch of the Windsor Public Library.

“Is something bad going to happen because all the kids are getting out for summer now?” Roadie posed.

City Coun. Fabio Costante, who’s ward encompasses the area in question, said the situation’s under control.

“No one wants to see any type of activity happen that is illegal or that could cause harm or that has any potential risk at all,” Costante said.

“So folks are on it.”

A precedent-setting ruling by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice earlier this year determined the Regional Municipality of Waterloo could not remove an encampment if there wasn’t adequate shelter space.

Costante thinks there’s probably enough beds available for the three at the encampment in question, but for any number of reasons they may opt not to go there.