TTC: Other Items (catch all)

[DSC]

@DSC , further response...

From TTCHelps:

"Thanks TrueNorth, I appreciate this detailed information and am sharing it with the team. Have a good rest of the evening ^DM"

Despite this response, the Route Diversion poster for the Waterfront marathon is still on the wall @ King Station - bottom of stairs leading to/from the eastbound streetcars. Sigh!

 

[JasonParis]

There's a homeless woman that reeks of urine in the TTC entrance to College Station from College Park. Everyone holds their noses every day, yet every day she's there. The stench is pretty full-on. I'm not trying to be insensitive, but she should be moved along, but never is, despite a station manager and station staff now outside of collector booths.

 

[Northern Light]

Despite this response, the Route Diversion poster for the Waterfront marathon is still on the wall @ King Station - bottom of stairs leading to/from the eastbound streetcars. Sigh!

Follow-up Tweet just sent. We will keep trying until capitulation and people take their jobs seriously!
https://twitter.com/TrueNorthernLi1

" TTChelps, TTCStuart , the other day, I brought to your attention out of date posters advising of temporary service changes at King Station. The follow-up was quick and suggesting something would be done promptly. There is still a Waterfront Marathon advisory up today! "

PS, did they actually remove the other posters?

 

[Richard White]

There's a homeless woman that reeks of urine in the TTC entrance to College Station from College Park. Everyone holds their noses every day, yet every day she's there. The stench is pretty full-on. I'm not trying to be insensitive, but she should be moved along, but never is, despite a station manager and station staff now outside of collector booths.

Is this the woman that screams in jibberish? If it is, she has been there for many years despite being escorted off the property.

The TTC has a problem with the residentially impaired to the point where something needs to be done. Most if not all of the downtown stations has people taking up residency, Line 1 trains have people riding back and forth smelling like feces and urine.

I get the TTC will have activists all over them if they are evicted from TTC property but quite frankly it is time to take off the kid gloves and enforce the trespass act. I get that these people have nowhere else to go but the TTC is not a homeless shelter.

Warden station has homeless and the mentally ill camping out asking for change all the time. One of the stores there regularly has people in there making threats to the occupants and asking for change. It is not uncommon to have people walk around the bus bays asking for spare change. They have one person who is likely an addict constantly harassing people asking for change or to use the phone. There are other people who walk around asking for change to get a patty.

The one that gets me the most is the woman who pretends to be deaf. She rides around the system handing out little cards asking for donations. She is not actually deaf, only pretending to be so she can get money. She has been outed by more than a few train operators over the intercom who know her scam.

I brought up the issue of the homeless once at a TTC Town Hall years ago and nothing was ever done.

 

[Northern Light]

In respect of the issue of certain homeless folks being a problem on the system in one fashion or another; I would support using an integrated team, for a limited period, (8 weeks?) that goes to all the known trouble spots and responds to requests for intervention. Such a team should include a mental health support work, a shelter worker, a social worker, a police officer and an empowered representative of TTC.

The object is not to simply oust people who have nowhere to go, but to provide them a viable alternative, with an involuntary assist in leaving the property an absolute last resort.

Clearly there are people out there who need intervention, some may accept that but not know where to turn; others may wrongly believe they're fine.

Whatever the case, action is needed but it ought to be restrained and as respectful as possible in the circumstances.

Better to give someone a good reason to move on, and help in doing so, than to use any kind of force.

 

[Richard White]

In respect of the issue of certain homeless folks being a problem on the system in one fashion or another; I would support using an integrated team, for a limited period, (8 weeks?) that goes to all the known trouble spots and responds to requests for intervention. Such a team should include a mental health support work, a shelter worker, a social worker, a police officer and an empowered representative of TTC.

The object is not to simply oust people who have nowhere to go, but to provide them a viable alternative, with an involuntary assist in leaving the property an absolute last resort.

Clearly there are people out there who need intervention, some may accept that but not know where to turn; others may wrongly believe they're fine.

Whatever the case, action is needed but it ought to be restrained and as respectful as possible in the circumstances.

Better to give someone a good reason to move on, and help in doing so, than to use any kind of force.

I am not suggesting force be used but the people I and Jason noted above do get asked to move along (and they do) only to return once the trespass notice expires. Something more than a slap on the wrist is warranted.

 

[Northern Light]

@DSC the follow-up Tweet has a follow-up reply.

"Hi, sorry to hear this. We'll follow up with our team to have this removed. ^KG"

 

[Northern Light]

I am not suggesting force be used but the people I and Jason noted above do get asked to move along (and they do) only to return once the trespass notice expires. Something more than a slap on the wrist is warranted.

You can't practically 'fine' someone who has no money; and jail seems like overkill; what other options did you have in mind? I think my approach would offer some hope that if you properly house and help those people, most will not return to a life of panhandling.

 

[Richard White]

You can't practically 'fine' someone who has no money; and jail seems like overkill; what other options did you have in mind? I think my approach would offer some hope that if you properly house and help those people, most will not return to a life of panhandling.

I am thinking amending the trespass act to allow for more than a 30 day ban. Giving someone a 1 year ban from TTC property allows for removal. If someone is banned from TTC property and then attempt to return, what happens next is their own doing.

 

[Steve X]

Homelessness is a big issue and frankly there's not much that could be done under Canadian law.

Some of them are definitely scamming people of their kindness. Since it's so much easier to make money that way. Unless people stop handing them money and the homeless receives a punishment whenever they harass riders, they'll just keep coming back. Handing them a ticket is not a punishment to them. Frankly any sort of thing that is a punishment to them would probably fall under criminal activities. The law is made to protect them.

Another major group would fall under permanent impairment. They simply can't move on. We simply can't afford to keep them well fed in a palace for them not to come back. The law also doesn't allow permanently confining them or getting rid of them.

Pretty much the only thing the TTC can do is hire a team of people with a lot of money to actively annoy the hell out of them which will likely get criticized by some activist groups. There's no magic ward that you can cast a spell to just make them disappear.

The city also needs to tackle the source of homelessness. Is it stress from society that drove them mental or some drunk driver running someone down and cause them permanent brain damage? Street kids growing up with no opportunities? Some of them could be reduced.

 

[DSC]

Follow-up Tweet just sent. We will keep trying until capitulation and people take their jobs seriously!
https://twitter.com/TrueNorthernLi1

" TTChelps, TTCStuart , the other day, I brought to your attention out of date posters advising of temporary service changes at King Station. The follow-up was quick and suggesting something would be done promptly. There is still a Waterfront Marathon advisory up today! "

PS, did they actually remove the other posters?

I am not sure, I was rushing through King today and just saw the Marathon one.

 

[Towered]

Homelessness is a big issue and frankly there's not much that could be done under Canadian law.

Some of them are definitely scamming people of their kindness. Since it's so much easier to make money that way. Unless people stop handing them money and the homeless receives a punishment whenever they harass riders, they'll just keep coming back. Handing them a ticket is not a punishment to them. Frankly any sort of thing that is a punishment to them would probably fall under criminal activities. The law is made to protect them.

Another major group would fall under permanent impairment. They simply can't move on. We simply can't afford to keep them well fed in a palace for them not to come back. The law also doesn't allow permanently confining them or getting rid of them.

Pretty much the only thing the TTC can do is hire a team of people with a lot of money to actively annoy the hell out of them which will likely get criticized by some activist groups. There's no magic ward that you can cast a spell to just make them disappear.

The city also needs to tackle the source of homelessness. Is it stress from society that drove them mental or some drunk driver running someone down and cause them permanent brain damage? Street kids growing up with no opportunities? Some of them could be reduced.

Until our society actively does something to address exponentially rising living costs in Toronto that far outstrip inflation and wage increases, homelessness is going to become far more prevalent than it already is.

 

[Richard White]

Until our society actively does something to address exponentially rising living costs in Toronto that far outstrip inflation and wage increases, homelessness is going to become far more prevalent than it already is.

That's true. I work as a concierge in a condo making 40 grand a year and I still cannot survive in Toronto even with a roommate. I would need to make at least 60 or 70 to survive.

 

[Streety McCarface]

Do I think the architectural style of line 2 stations was always a tad banal, sure.

Do I think in addition its now a bit dated looking, and in many cases requires maintenance, yup!

Do I think the absence of an off-street bus terminal is 'third world'.........no. The TTC has more of off-street bus terminals (integrated to subway) than any other transit system anywhere, so far as I'm aware.

Their absence would be normal in NYC, London, Paris etc.

Is that inconvenient? Again, sure.

Do I like the idea of adding a canopy/overhang? Yes

Do I think something will be done about it? Not until certain constituents point out the need to the City Councillor and suggest using section 37 money to cover the cost.

Seeing as there is a good amount of money flowing in section 37 in that area of the City, and seeing as such a project is relatively inexpensive, I would wager the local councillor could be talked into supporting the idea.

Just a thought.

Nothing wrong with wanting to expand the off-street bus loop network. Lansdowne and dufferin could both really use one.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Nothing wrong with wanting to expand the off-street bus loop network. Lansdowne and dufferin could both really use one.

While the Bloor-Danforth (today Line 2) opened in 1966, the designing was done years before. The Lansdowne bus only served between Queen & St. Clair, and the Dufferin bus only served between Eglinton & Wilson. See link. The designers didn't think about the future services needed, but based on the "current" services at the time of design (1959).