The residents and businesses in the City of Toronto continue to offer aid for the 650 Parliament St. residents who have been displaced from their homes after a six-alarm fire on Tuesday, August 21.
As of noon on August 30, the following donations have been received:
• $74,000 through the Red Cross
• Thousands of items of new clothing and school supplies from individual and corporate donations
• More than 1,200 gift cards from individual and corporate donations
• 155 offers of accommodations
Going forward, the most critical need is accommodations for the almost 1,500 displaced residents. Some registrants may be returning to the reception centre at the Regent Park Community Centre on Friday, August 31 as their current hotel rooms are previously booked.
Emergency shelter provisions will continue to be made available at the Regent Park and Wellesley Community Centres as required. The City will continue to work with Wellesley Parliament Square Property Management to seek out short- and long-term accommodations for the residents.
Any available rental units are urgently needed. WoodGreen, one of the largest social service agencies in Toronto, has made their H.O.M.E portal available to allow donors to post available housing, goods and services to help the displaced residents of 650 Parliament St. Visit www.mycanadianhome.org to post an offer. Listings can also be taken via oem@toronto.ca or 416-392-3959.
Distribution of donations for displaced families with school-age children will take place on Saturday, September 1 and Sunday, September 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Rose Avenue Public School gymnasium, 675 Ontario St.
Advance registration is mandatory. Residents can call or visit:
• Community Matters Toronto, 260 Wellesley St. E., unit 102, 416-944-9697
• St. James Town Community Corner, 200 Wellesley St. E., 416-964-6657
• Registration will be open until 8 p.m. on Friday, August 31
The clothing/donation drive continues however gift cards are preferred due to space capacity. Gift cards may be dropped off at either location above until 8 p.m. on Friday, August 31.
Financial donations can be made online at redcross.ca or by calling 1-800-418-1111.
The Wellesley Parliament Square Property Management can be reached at 647-760-7339, through their website at http://wpsq.ca/ and on Twitter @650parliament. They also have a satellite site at 260 Wellesley St. E. where tenants can register for re-entry to reclaim belongings and receive a laundry card for use at other buildings in the area.
The Red Cross is still on-site at the Wellesley Community Centre for residents to register (if they have not done so already) and receive food vouchers and Metropasses.
Updates from the City will continue to be posted at http://www.toronto.ca/650Parliament.
Recreation programming update
• Instructional and drop-in programming will be suspended as of August 31 at Regent Park Community Centre and as of September 4 at Wellesley Community Centre while these locations operate as overnight reception centres for residents displaced by the 650 Parliament St. fire.
• After-School Recreation Care has been relocated to Nelson Mandela Park Public School and participating families have been notified.
• Community permits at both centres have been cancelled and permit holders have been notified.
• Permit holders and registered participants will be notified once programming is reinstated.
• Drop-in swimming continues to be available at Pam McConnell Aquatic Centre and multi-sport drop-in programming is available at the Regent Park Athletic Grounds.
• To find drop-in recreation programming at other locations, residents can visit toronto.ca/rec.
This news release is also available on the City of Toronto website at http://ow.ly/jFLP30lCTcQ.
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