A Toronto health centre fenced off its parkette after reports of open drug use, overdoses, and neighbourhood safety concerns tied to rising demand.
Health Centre Closes Parkette After Safety Complaints
Why the Parkette Was Closed
The Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre in Toronto has fenced off a parkette it manages, citing public safety risks. Reports of violence, overdoses, and open drug use prompted the decision. The outdoor space had become a gathering spot for some clients of the centre’s supervised consumption site.
When and Where the Issues Escalated
The move follows a surge in activity at the west-end centre, one of the few supervised consumption sites still operating in Toronto. Since April, visits have risen from 320 to more than 550 in June, after the Ontario government forced nine other sites to shut down.
How the Centre Is Responding
Ray Clark, a health promoter at the centre, said fencing off the parkette allows staff to focus on critical services inside. The centre plans to reseed the grass and restore the outdoor space, reducing tensions that have spilled into the parkette in recent months.
Community Reaction to the Closure
Local residents say the decision offers some relief. Jason Schmidt, who lives nearby, described the parkette as a “24/7 drug den,” with people openly using meth and fentanyl. He said the noise, fights, and drug activity had made life “literally unbearable” and is now trying to sell his home.
Political and Broader Context
Parkdale-High Park NDP MPP Alexa Gilmour said the parkette problems reflect Ontario’s wider opioid crisis. She called for a provincial task force and a comprehensive opioid strategy, noting that seven people die every day in Ontario from opioid-related causes.
What Comes Next
The province is transitioning closed supervised sites into abstinence-focused HART hubs, while health staff continue to push for more supportive housing, shelter beds, and low-barrier harm-reduction programs. Clark emphasized these resources are vital to save lives and reduce the strain on both the centre and its community.
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