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4 = PORT PERRY STAR + Tuesday; April 11, 1989; Casimir St. family evicted with nowhere to go but a trailer park campground by Cathy Olliffe Brian and Wendy Kirk and their two children are victims of the affordable housing crisis in Scugog Township. The Kirks are being forced out of their rented Port Perry home at the end of April, and they have no place to go, except atrailer parkin $n Manilla, Frustrated, angry and drained, Wendy Kirk wrote a letter this week to the Port Perry Star to vent some of her anger. "We have all heard of the homeless," she wrote, "but until you have lived it, wou really don't understand. Well we do, we have been there and you can believe your whole life changes. "I would like some answers from anyone. Where is this town going and where do fami- lies and stable home lives be- gin?" Problems began for the Kirks when Brian injured his back six years ago and was forced to stop working. The family now sur- vives on the income Wendy brings home from her part-time job 'at an Uxbridge nursing home, and Brian's disability pension. The money just barely covers their bills, including $525 which pays the rent on a clean but delapidated two-storey house on Casimir Street. The Kirks have been living in the house for nearly two years. Before they moved in, the fami- ly lived in a tent railer at Trout- water Trailer Park in Manilla, because of a series of bad luck with other rental accomoda- tions. The trailer park was a last re- sort--the Kirks just couldn't find any place that they could afford. But after a couple of months in the park, Brian and Wendy counted themselves as incredi- bly lucky when they secured the house on Casimir St. in Septem- ber 1987-just as the cold weather was beginning. "It wasn't so bad," Wendy says about the park. "We had the van done up as a camper-- the kids slept in the tent trailer and we bought electric blankets to keep them warm. The people at the park were really terrific. But we were still anxious to find areal home." The house on Casimir St. turned out to be that home. The children were enrolled in a Port Perry public school, and this June, their eldest daughter i is scheduled to graduate from Grade 8. Life settled into a fair- ly comfortable routine for the family. Until five days before Christ- mas 1988, when the Kirks re- ceived an eviction notice "for the purpose of demolition." The notice, issued by landlord George Stone, explained the house was to be torn down to make room for a parking lot. Mr. Stone had sold the property and the Kirks were ordered to be out by April 30. SUPPLIES Pencils - Lined Paper -Erasers - Note Books - Math Sets - etc. PORT PERRY STAR ~ SCHOOL 235 Quem wrest The cycle of looking for an- other place to live had begun again. "As soon as we got the evic- tion notice, we started looking for a place," Wendy says. "I want to stay in the area so I can keep my job. Anywhere in the area." The only problem is, the Kirks can't afford a place that costs more than $650. They scanned the classified sections of local newspapers. They made endless phone calls. They even advertised in the "Wanted to Rent" section of this newspaper for four weeks. All to no avail. "Everyone wants Ietween $900 and $1,100 a month," Brian says resignedly. They called the Borelia Co-op in Port Perry, and went to a meeting to find out more, but re- alized the Co-op has a long waiting list. Besides, the com- plex limits families to owning. one pet and the Kirks have owned two dogs for a long time. They are reluctant to give one up or have one put down. "They're part of the family," Brianinsists. The couple estimates they have made more than 30 tele- phone calls inquiring about ren- tal accomodation. They've heard "all kinds of different re- marks made about what's going on," Wendy says. The comments are particularly hard on the children. Their oldest is"very upset about it," Wendy adds. "She's afraid she's not going to be able tograduate." Seated at the kitchen table in the kitchen of the house on Cas- imir St., Brian and Wendy look at each other. Wendy's eyes wa- ter and threaten to cry. "We're both on tranquilizers now," she says quietly. "It's no fun living in a tent trailer. In two months there, I lost 60 pounds. I try to putin more time at work, but the last time I put in more hours, I suffered a se- ries of' minor strokes." "And you're not going to do that again," Brian interrupted firmly. "You scared the life out of me." Fortunately, relatives are building an addition to a house in Lin ay where the family will be moving in June. Wendy will have to quit her job, but she is hoping to be able to find a sim- ilar job in Lindsay. She's also hoping to upgrade her educa- tion and become an R.N.A. or maybe even an R.N. The children will have to be enrolled in new schools as well, but Wendy and Brian are opti- misticabout the move. "It's like we're starting out all over again. On a fresh slate," Wendy says. Unfortunately, the Kirks won't be able to move until June. And according to the evic- tion notice, they have to be out of their Port Perry house by April 30. In the meantime, they have nowhere to go. Except the trail- er park. "There is no low income hous- ing in Port Perry," Wendy says bitterly. In hor letter, Hendy wrote: "I would like people to look around at what their autiful town is turning into. I am soon to be an outsider. You are the ones who lose, because your home could be next. Think about it." LT A = As of April 30, Wendy and Brian Kirk will be homeless. The Port Perry couple is beiny evicted from their Casimir St. home and they can't find anywhere else inexpensive to live in this area. They're just one of thousands In this province who are caught up in the afford- a able housing crunch. See story for details. . » . i ' 13 Shy be . re RN 4 . 13 Ie OAK - PINE - MAPLE - EURO KITCHENS VANITIES COUNTERTOPS Cultured Marble CE Cuisine Expert up to 40% OFF M.S.L. We Install. Visit our Showroom. OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE RR4, UXBRIDGE Durham No. 23, just s. of 47 416)852-7722 DON'T FORGET to attend! BLOOD DONOR CLINIC presented by the Port Perry Kinsmen & Kinettes at the CATHOLIC CHURCH HALL, Hwy. 7A FRIDAY, APRIL 14th This ad is sponsored by CLASSIC NEUBODY Double Yaur Donating -- For each unit of blood donated, we will donate *1.00 to the Port Perry Community Memorial Hospital Building Fund.