Calling Lower Simcoe Street home

Veronica Henri
Published Oct 05, 2019  •  1 minute read
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  1. Neil and Camille live in a makeshift tent underneath a bridge on lower Simcoe St on Oct. 2, 2019. (Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun)
    Neil and Camille live in a makeshift tent underneath a bridge on lower Simcoe St on Oct. 2, 2019. (Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun)
  2. Neil and Camille live in a makeshift tent underneath a bridge on lower Simcoe St on Oct. 2, 2019. (Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun)
    Neil and Camille live in a makeshift tent underneath a bridge on lower Simcoe St on Oct. 2, 2019. (Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun)
  3. Neil dismantles his makeshift home after he was served with an eviction notice on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    Neil dismantles his makeshift home after he was served with an eviction notice on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  4. Neil dismantles his makeshift home after he was served with an eviction notice on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    Neil dismantles his makeshift home after he was served with an eviction notice on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  5. A homeless man brings items to city workers that he wishes to discard on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    A homeless man brings items to city workers that he wishes to discard on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  6. City workers inform a homeless man that he needs to take the items he wants to keep on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    City workers inform a homeless man that he needs to take the items he wants to keep on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  7. A woman sleeps surrounded by her belongings on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Thursday, Oct 3, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    A woman sleeps surrounded by her belongings on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Thursday, Oct 3, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  8. Homeless live underneath the bridge on lower Simcoe St on Wednesday October 2, 2019. Veronica Henri/ Homeless live underneath the bridge on lower Simcoe St on Oct. 2, 2019.( Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun)
    Homeless live underneath the bridge on lower Simcoe St on Wednesday October 2, 2019. Veronica Henri/ Homeless live underneath the bridge on lower Simcoe St on Oct. 2, 2019.( Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun)
  9. Items collected by a homeless man on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    Items collected by a homeless man on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  10. Garbage that is ready to be swept up after the homeless are evicted on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    Garbage that is ready to be swept up after the homeless are evicted on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  11. " Chris" stands next to his cart that he will fill with the belongings he wishes to take with him on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019.City workers served eviction notices to those living there. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    " Chris" stands next to his cart that he will fill with the belongings he wishes to take with him on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019.City workers served eviction notices to those living there. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  12. A homeless man clears out his belongings and heads to a local park on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. City workers evicted this homeless living there. Once the workers clean the streets of discarded items, he plans to return. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    A homeless man clears out his belongings and heads to a local park on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. City workers evicted this homeless living there. Once the workers clean the streets of discarded items, he plans to return. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  13. Workers remove a mattress that once formed the basis for a makeshift tent for a homeless man living on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    Workers remove a mattress that once formed the basis for a makeshift tent for a homeless man living on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  14. City workers remove a kayak that a homeless man has decided to part with on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    City workers remove a kayak that a homeless man has decided to part with on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  15. A homeless man living on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. "Mitch" packs up his belongings and waits for city workers to ask him to clear out. He has been evicted seven times, but always returns to the same spot. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    A homeless man living on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. "Mitch" packs up his belongings and waits for city workers to ask him to clear out. He has been evicted seven times, but always returns to the same spot. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  16. City workers remove a kayak that a homeless man has stored with his other belongings on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    City workers remove a kayak that a homeless man has stored with his other belongings on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  17. A kayak is removed by city workers after a homeless man agrees he doesn't need it anymore, on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    A kayak is removed by city workers after a homeless man agrees he doesn't need it anymore, on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  18. A grate have fills a sign left my a homeless person looks for donations in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    A grate have fills a sign left my a homeless person looks for donations in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  19. A woman sleeps surrounded by her belongings on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    A woman sleeps surrounded by her belongings on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  20. A homeless man removes his belongings after city workers clear out those living on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    A homeless man removes his belongings after city workers clear out those living on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday, October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  21. A homeless man decides which items he will toss and what he hopes to keep after city workers ask him to clean up his belongings on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    A homeless man decides which items he will toss and what he hopes to keep after city workers ask him to clean up his belongings on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Friday October 4, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  22. A view of Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Thursday, October 3, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    A view of Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Thursday, October 3, 2019. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun
  23. A group of men gather on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Thursday, October 3, 2019. A makeshift bed is home to some. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
    A group of men gather on Lower Simcoe Street in Toronto on Thursday, October 3, 2019. A makeshift bed is home to some. Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Veronica Henri /Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun

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Half a dozen homeless people gather under the Gardiner Expressway, calling Lower Simcoe St. home.

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The busy highway overhead protects them from the inclement weather.

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Tourists, event-goers and office workers offer them coffee, clothing, loose change and food.

They say they don’t go to shelters because they are “dangerous” and “noisy” places where they belonging may be stolen.

They prefer the streets to the any shelters the city has to offer.

Every now and then, City of Toronto workers serve each an eviction notice, so they comply by packing up their belongings. A public works truck is loaded up with items and garbage is taken away.

Within a few hours, some return.

It’s not  a secret — it’s just the way it is.

vhenri@postmedia.com

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