Ash Wolf (not her real name) says she is fed up with people who live in comfortable homes complaining to the city, forcing her and others to move their tents deeper into the woods of Milligan’s Pond where she says it can be unsafe for anyone — especially a single woman.
Wolf has until Thursday at noon to move her well-organized area that contains a couple tents, tarps, two dogs, two ferrets and one cat and find another spot to live at Milligan’s Pond.
At noon Monday, the woman told BarrieToday she was served with an eviction notice that requires her to move her tents out of the spot she has been using for a couple weeks.
Wolf showed BarrieToday the notice of eviction she received that states the violation was “camping in a public park without authorization.”
Wolf stressed she isn't on a camping excursion.
“I’m surviving, not camping. I tell bylaw (officers) whenever they move me that I’m not camping, so how is that the violation? A lot of people in these situations are getting fed up and eventually will just take their tents to the city streets where they are more visible,” said Wolf.
While Wolf can’t say for sure who would have made the complaint, she believes it's a person in a nearby apartment building.
“The building that can overlook this area, there is a guy on the second floor who is always watching us. He’ll get his binoculars out and watch sometimes, it's weird,” said Wolf.
She believes the man has other options. "If you care that much about how things look here, how about getting involved in finding us housing?”
Dawn McAlpine, the city's manager of community and corporate services, said “a complaint was received identifying personal safety concerns associated with camping that was occurring at Milligan’s Pond.”
Wolf reiterates that the issue is coming from people who don’t have to wonder what their next day on earth looks like.
“It's heartless to complain like that. My spaces are always clean, I’m known for that and respected by many for it,” said Wolf. “I’ve had the City of Barrie, Barrie fire and Barrie police come in here on their own accord, assess the space and even they realized I take care of my fire and everything is always clean.
"I’ve had the city drop off garbage bags, agencies dropping off food and water. No one seems to be bothered except someone who is already housed and decided to make a complaint because they have nothing better to do with their time," she lamented.
“I try my best to help people out here. Some of the agencies in the city drop off items to me to get to others who need them who may be deeper in the bush,” said Wolf. “I’m trustworthy and maintain good, safe spaces.”
While some evictions can be enforced in 24 hours, McAlpine told BarrieToday that “the enforcement services officer provided 72 hours notice to allow the individual to speak with outreach organizations due to the number of items that had accumulated in the area.”
As per the city’s standard procedure, outreach organizations were notified of the complaint.
Wolf was appreciative of the time given but says she has nowhere to go.
“Where am I to go? Deeper into the woods, as a single woman? There have been too many close calls involving men who don’t live here but are looking to rob someone for their belongings or worse,” said Wolf. “That's the part that gets me about the complaint. That one complaint could lead to me being raped and murdered.”
Wolf wants each case to be investigated instead of the complaint forcing by-law to remove the person living at the site.
“I understand if someone is violent or littering and not being mindful of others, but there are many of us who don’t cause any issues, make sure our cooking fires are out, keep our areas clean,” said Wolf. “There are no issues with my site. I don’t allow people to stay here if they are going to cause problems and I’m not the only one who is like that.”
Growing up in the foster care system, Wolf has been on and off the streets for most of her life but it was about seven years ago when she went through a lengthy battle to keep her kids from their father, who she said was addicted to drugs.
“It was a Catch-22 because I couldn't stay in a shelter but without shelter I couldn't keep my kids,” said Wolf. “I was living up on Big Bay Point for a while and was able to show I had a place to live so I could have my kids, but about a year ago the landlord evicted me, saying he and his family were moving in because of COVID hardships ... so now I’m homeless.”
She lost her place to live two months before she was to get her children back. Now, she can't find a place and, therefore, can't be reunited with her kids.
“I receive ODSP but every landlord says I have insufficient funding, even though rent would be covered and I would have a couple extra hundred left over for essentials," she explained.
"They aren’t willing to rent to someone on ODSP most of the time,” said Wolf. “Also, my child tax benefit doesn’t kick in until I get my kids, who I can’t get until I have appropriate housing. The system is set up for us to fail.”
Wolf hopes someone can do something to help her out, as well as help out those she calls her neighbours.
“My neighbours and I just want to be able to live. Why complain and make it more difficult for us to live? We need housing, a roof over our heads. Until that happens, we need to live in tents and by kicking us out of those, you’re causing severe trauma to us,” said Wolf.
“This is a mental battle for us everyday. We feel like garbage being tossed aside, not wanted in a house, not wanted to be seen in a tent. We’re human beings, help us or butt out when it doesn't affect your life. And it doesn’t, it really doesn't.”
