Guelph – “The Cabin in the Woods”

learning the hard way…

As most people from Guelph know, the downtown core has a rainbow variety of socio-economic diversity…a reason why I love it. However, I only recently recognized the sincerity and severity of it, and how great the divide has actually become.

The point comes when I was speaking with some squatters last week who were displaying signs on cardboard about the city evicting them from their ‘homes’. I sat beside them while I waited for the bus, talked to a few to get the full story. A really nice girl told me about the cabin (which I had heard of by R who got taken there one night in safety after being lost and drunk last winter…all good things heard, reasonably). The cabin was a commune to which young homeless people (my age) took to to get off the streets. She said they wanted to start a new cabin with installation, a real home, and had been evicted by police once they had laid cement foundation. She answered all my questions with great concern, “main goal is down with capitalism” (me: oh yes that dirty harry capitalist, marx, the martini!) I could understand her. I mean, my newest hobby has brewed from sustainable living, I could totally help the homeless, I thought.

I asked her what she did for food, she began to tell me about the garden they had! listing everything from cabbage for sauerkraut to spinach to lettuces, potatoes, etc. My eyes lit up, I offered to help. I asked if I could help keep up with their garden while they were protesting, maybe take some pictures, suggesting I occasionally write for the school paper and am very interested in this way of life…we seemed to find a common ground…she said that was totally cool and appreciative, saying I could meet her the next day and someone could take me out there. The rest of the day left me so inspired and I was eager to get started: I could give them some of connie’s squash seeds for next season…la la la.

The next day we go, the squatters are not protesting anymore…but R knows the way. We take the wrong bus, I keep suggesting we may be there for hours in the garden…I said I would help, now! We made it finally, with a charged camera and good intentions. Dropped off in the middle of nowhere (rachel stayed at the cabin before/knew where it was). Down the path and under the bridge, we make it. I was shocked. Instead of a flourishing vegetable garden we found some dirty mattresses, broken bottles, animal parts, used needles, remnants of a woodstove and one wall made of rusted siding. here’s some pics…

I guess the point of it all is how hurt I was with my own naivety and this great divide between the homeless and the wealthy that you see all around Guelph…especially in the summer when it’s not riddled with University kids. Drugs are a gigantic uncommunicable issue that has been swept under the rug for too long, especially in the downtown core.

I am sensitive, in earnest, and this experience sunk me for a few days. I hope these issues are addressed with the nearing by-election in Guelph…but I don’t think so. “green is so in” and the division between me and these squatters will grow only further and further until they’re not human anymore.