Introduction to My Book

Introduction

The large yellow brick bungalow borders one of the older and more notorious neighborhoods in London. Just north of Hamilton Rd and Rectory St is the
section on Dundas St dominated by neglected and boarded up buildings. The
coffee house and Ark Aid Mission provide a place for many of London's less
fortunate which includes people who are mentally ill or dealing with
addictions. The Methadone Clinic is also in this area on Dundas St.

In a sense this depressed area reminds me of Cabbagetown and its surrounding
areas one of which is Moss Park where I spent some childhood years. Just as Cabbagetown was a desperately poor place in the depression and years afterwards. Many of the old homes were later restored by people who saw the potential of the area. Now it is a very interesting and vibrant neighbourhood.

"Toronto's Cabbagetown remains only a memory to those who lived in it when it was
a slum. Less than half a mile long and even narrower from north to south, it was situated in the east-central part of the city, its boundaries being Parliament Street on the west, Gerrard Street on the north, the Don River on the east and
Queen Street on the south.

The slum area south of Queen Street was once called Corktown and was inhabited by Irish Catholic immigrants. To the west of Parliament Street was and is Moss Park, a neighbourhood now the temporary home or lighting place of a more transient type of slum-dweller. This neighbourhood is sometimes referred to as Cabbagetown, as is the area north of Gerrard, but this is an error."

From Hugh Garner's Preface to his novel"Cabbagetown"(McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited, 1968, ISBN 0-07-082702-8)

To make the mortgage payments, Ken advertises rooms for rent in the London Free Press. Most of the people who call about the room are currently staying at the Mission due to a variety of circumstance or are referred by London Housing.

I have lived in the old house for 3 years and have just managed to find part time work that has lasted for more than a few months. When I first came to the house I was living on the meagre monthy allowance from Ontario Works. Most apartments in London start at over $600 a month while the rent portion of Ontario Works is $325.

There are very few options on places to live at such a low rate. My rent for the room is $375 a month and this is one of the cheapest places available.

If there weren't homeowners like Ken and his son Kelly, many people in London would be hard pressed to find a place to live when living on Ontario Works. Many rooms are over $400 a month. Also, many homeowners and landlords do not want to take a chance on people coming out of the mission or who are receiving Ontario Works either.

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The city of London and it's churches are also very generous to people struggling below the poverty line. The Sister's of St. Joseph put on a breakfast for 50 cents and a lunch for a dollar. Ark Aid Mission has a dinner through the week at 7 pm where all are welcome, no questions asked. The many churches in the London area will offer a community meal once a week or month and combined they service to needs of London's most troubled and poorest.

This story is dedicated to Ken who has provided shelter in the London area for over
20 years and because of his kindness, I am able to write this story. It is also dedicated to Fred, a man who has been in and out of the Mission but who in so many ways has inspired me to write this story. Rest in peace Fred and God bless you. I miss you.