Does Lansdowne and Bloor deserve its bad reputation? Unfortunately, yes.

[Update Oct. 21, 2009: While problems remain, things have gotten a lot better in the two years since I wrote this post. For a more current view of the situation at Bloor and Lansdowne, see Is Bloor and Lansdowne safe?]

[Update Oct. 23, 2007: I posted some more optimistic comments about crime and community safety here. Bottom line: there are problems but the situation isn't all bad.]

It's a good thing my blog doesn't have a lot of readers; otherwise, local realtors might get upset at what I'm about to say. After all, when a realtor sells a house, he's also selling the neighbourhood it comes with. In the case of Lansdowne and Bloor, that means selling a neighbourhood with a well-deserved reputation for drugs and prostitution.

This summer has been particularly bad. Even long-time residents like myself who have become somewhat used to the area's problems have noticed the difference. I don't know the reasons, but the situation on Bloor east of Lansdowne is worse than usual right now.

Earlier this summer someone on the Dig In email list pointed out that a lot of nasty-looking people were hanging out at the Kiss Cup Cafe, a dive bar on the north side of Bloor between St. Clarens and Emerson. During the summer, people from Dig In went into the bar where they were sometimes hassled. A few weeks ago a group of neighbours were walking by the place when 14 Division police stormed in and began making arrests. When we turned the corner we saw more police detaining people on St. Clarens and on Lansdowne. That night police were everywhere. Back in August, police made a large number of arrests as part of Project BLT.

People living on St. Clarens and Emerson north of Bloor routinely come across hookers and crack addicts in the laneway that runs between those streets. I've seen groups of five or more openly smoking crack in the afternoon. People open their garage doors only to find hookers giving johns hand jobs. I walk through that laneway almost every day. Usually, no one bothers me but a couple of times a hooker has warned me to stay away.

Crime is a serious problem for local residents. In July, hundreds went on an anti-crime march. Then in August there was a well-attended public meeting to discuss the problem. A safety audit conducted with police, Adam Giambrone's office and local community groups attracted a large crowd of frustrated residents.

During the summer some neighbours went out on regular night-time group walks. There were times on those walks when it seemed like there was a prostitute on every corner. One of those hookers, a transgendered street-walker, was stabbed by a john in a laneway. One prostitute we see regularly was walking around with a sling and bandages. At times, things get ugly here.

This neighbourhood is not all bad. It is home to an active community group called Dig In and in September it was the site of a highly successful Nuit Blanche-related event called Bloor NIGHTLIGHT. When you get away from Bloor, you can find some quite pleasant residential areas. Still, the problem of crime persists. As long as it does, Bloor and Lansdowne will keep its bad reputation.

See also:

Is Bloor and Lansdowne safe?

Is the neighbourhood all bad? Definitely not.