Dear Editor,
I just wanted to say that I appreciate the article Tracy Sherlock wrote about the homeless at Brighouse Park.
I am the former Housing Manager for Chimo Community Services.
The person living in one of those tents was my babysitter when I was young. I know her and her family well.
Aside from housing, Richmond desperately needs more services for addiction and mental illness.
When the city decided to shut down the Emergency Response Centre (ERC), which was located in the old seniors building across from Brighouse Library, they pushed all these people into tents.
The mayor declares the Salvation Army has enough space and they are turning what was the ERC a centre for the arts.
Salvation Army has a waitlist of 45-plus people a week.
The ERC never should have been closed until another shelter was put into place.
The people are in tents simply because of the city’s negligence.
I truly appreciate you using your words and voice for those that no one wants to listen to.
Kirsten Fotty
Richmond
