A peek into Toronto's tranny stroll
COMMUNITY NEWS / Video report on the Homewood Maitland controversy
Michael Pihach / Toronto / Friday, October 02, 2009
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Xtra.ca reporters Michael Pihach and Robin Pierro investigate the ongoing tension between sex workers and residents in the Homewood and Maitland area of Toronto.





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Reader Comments


 
This is downtown living
I find it odd how these hookers can adqeuate safety in the very area where a resident was harmed by a hooker. I feel sorry for the residents, if I was living there - I would not want the excessive overnight noise, pollution of condoms and to feel unsafe in on my own street. However, is there any area downtown that is completely quite 24/7 ? In college, my friend lived at Jarvis and Wellsley for 3 years and told me about similar situations. Maybe not as drastic but similar to say the least. What can you do ? When looking for a town house - do your research. Ask the residents on the street what it's really like, cause the relator does not live in the house you want to buy.
Ivory Towers, Toronto ON
10/02/09 11:55 PM EST
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On the stroll
For more details, check out this story as well: On the stroll: Sex work and fireworks at Homewood and Maitland http://www.xtra.ca/public/National/On_the_stroll-5487.aspx
Shawn, Toronto ON
10/03/09 2:51 PM EST
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WHERE ARE THE POLICE ???
So let me get this right. Someone buys or rents in this area. They go to work each day or school to better their life. They respect others that live in their area and respect the law, BUT Division 51 of the Toronto Police Dept. says that there really isn't much they can do to make the streets in this area safe and quiet at night ? Bullshit. How about sending in 3 or 4 officers on foot and or on bikes and start arresting people that are breaking the laws such as dealing and using drugs. I'm so tired of the police in this city sitting on their hands and blaming the victims. They have no idea how lucky they are that I don't live in that area of the city, because I'd be video taping the activities and posting them on YouTube with the following title The Toronto Police Don't Have A Problem With This Behaviour. One last note, how about this same police force start enforcing the laws in and around Wellesley subway station. Why do we living in the village put up with the crime and violence ? When will Division 51 crack down on this area ? I guess being that they won't do much of anything on Maitland, why would we even begin to think they will do anything on Wellesley !
J. Taylor, Toronto Ontario
10/03/09 3:26 PM EST
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Go West Young Woman!!!
Last year in Xtra (Sep 12-08) one resident was quoted as suggesting that all the hookers move to Queen's Park Cres. This is actually a really very excellent idea. The straight hookers could have the Crescent and the tranny hookers could have Wellesley St directly behind the Legislature. What could be better than to have all those elected officials deal with the problems of street-prostitution directly and personally? What do you suppose the response of the police would be if the hookers actually moved to Queen's Park? Perhaps Mr Smitherman, the Deputy Premier himself, should visit the tranny stroll and Moss Park and a few other such places and personally invite all those ladies of the night to move their work to Queen's Park and even escort them there. He could emulate the Pied Piper and play a flute as he leads them along. Once there, he could serve them pizza and hot chocolate and everybody would live happily ever after! After all, as a potential future mayor of Toronto perhaps it is time for Big George to get involved with nitty-gritty municipal issues of this sort and especially since this is happening in his own riding just around the corner from his own home. Alternatively, perhaps the 519 outreach workers could set up a table to serve free food and hot chocolate behind the Legislature to encourage the tranny hookers and all other hookers to voluntarily relocate to Queen's Park. Why not!?
Yours Truly, Toronto Ontario
10/05/09 11:50 AM EST
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long history of tranny stroll and cops and LGBT
There is a long history here. The police have intervened in the past--mainly in the early & mid 1990's. when the tranny stroll was on Maitalnd between Jarvis and Church local police foot patrol officers (as they were then called) deliberately harassed (their word) the prostitutes working nights until they moved to the Homewood area (out of then 52 Division at the time and into then only 51 division). In the mid 90's we had many meetings of the Church Wellesley Neighbourhood Police Advisory Committee (CWNPAC) dealing with the ongoing problems between residents of Maitland and the police and hookers. I was an elected member of CWNPAC from its inception in a packed meeting in 1991 until 2000. The move to Homewood didn't solve the problems--it just moved the main stroll (and with police support at the time..)from Maitland and Jarvis/Church to Homewood. The more things change the more they remain the same, eh?
james Dubro, toronto ontario
10/05/09 5:33 PM EST
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opinion
I cannot agree more. I can not always find worthy resources with interesting articles to read. Mostly search by means of http://rapid4me.com rapidshare SE, but your site found with the help of Google. Thanks
peter, new york eret
10/08/09 7:39 AM EST
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Living in the area
I live in the area, hear them while I am trying to sleep and also see what they leave behind in the morning. I understand the area is a safe haven for them. My issue with them is: #1 Respect your neighbours. Keep the noise down. Most of us in the area work regular business hours. So being woken up in the middle of the night by the talking, yelling, etc makes us angry and make us want you out of our neighbourhood! #2 Clean up after yourself. Its so disrespectful coming out of your place and finding used condoms. At my job, I am required to keep my office clean, shred documents etc..... why cant they do the same. I think that if they want to have some sort of respect from the neighbourhood and stay in the area, respect the people and property around you. For me, its not you in the neighbourhood thats the problem. Its your lack of respect for the property and the area that is the problem. A solution is for any of your workers: Feel free to give me your address and I will promise you, I will stand outside your bedroom window during my working hours. I will talk loud, yell and scream to ensure you are worken up. And I also promise, I will keep all my used condoms and leave them on your doorstep so when you leave to go to work in the evenings, you get the same surprise we do! Just do the right thing. Respect the area!
Rob, Toronto Ontario
10/20/09 7:29 PM EST
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support the sex-workers?
Ever notice that the people reporting on or supporting the sex-workers don't live around Homewood and Maitland? The 519 employees that support and encourage them to be at Homewood / Maitland should try living here. Between the noise, fights, and vandalism brought to those of us who do live here, is hardly something anyone could support! How do they expect this neighbourhood to embrace them? They're TERRIBLE to put up with, AND, our property values SUNK with this reputation of tranny alley! it doesn't matter who was here first, what they do is illegal, and the dangers and living disruptions they bring with them doesn't belong in ANY neighbourhood. People that support the tranny hookers always seem to do so from a distance, want to support them? Advocate for them to come to the safe haven of your neighbourhood and just see how long your support lasts. In the footage you've just seen a victim was stabbed by a cracked out tranny hooker, while just walking home from church street!!! Good grief - get some support to these trannys to get a life off the street! Surely the 519 must realize that sex-work on the street is dangerous the sex-workers too.
Peter, Toronto ontario
10/30/09 4:07 PM EST
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