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PRE-SCHOOLER THE ISSUE: OPIOID CRISIS | LOCAL IMPACT: 2018 26, July Thursday, SEVERAL USED SYRINGES HAVE WAS 'SCARED' BEEN FOUND IN CHILDREN'S PLAY AREAS AT ETOBICOKE'S MARIE PUBLIC URGED TO CALL CITY CURTIS PARK STAFF OR POLICE AND NOT TOUCH DISCARDED NEEDLES

CYNTHIA REASON were 303 opioid overdose [email protected] deaths in Toronto in 2017 - 63 per cent more than in Little Jorjah Smyth and 2016, a 121 per cent increase a friend were happily in deaths compared to 2015. building a rock village on In response to the ongo- the beach at Marie Curtis ing opioid crisis, TPH Park beach a few weeks opened the city's first per- ago, when the pair made a manent supervised injec- troubling discovery amid tion service downtown the trees. near Yonge and Dundas "My friend, she was try- streets in November 2017, ing to climb the tree and and has since opened three she saw a needle - and there others. was blood in it," the four- The sites - none of which Dan Pearce/Metroland year-old, soon-to-be kin- are located in Etobicoke - him if ever she found an- dergarten student recalled provide safe and hygienic other syringe in the park. last week. "I was scared. I environments for people to In the meantime, Coles don't like needles." inject pre-obtained drugs also took to Facebook on After being summoned under the supervision of July 9 to post a photo of one by her screaming daughter qualified staff, reducing of the syringes, along with that day, Jorjah's mom, Li- overdoses and also limit- a warning to other local lah Coles, first ushered the ing the spread of HIV and moms to remain vigilant. girls to safety, then re- hepatitis C related to un- "I posted on Etobicoke turned to find several oth- safe injection practices. Moms, Lakeshore Moms, er used syringes littering At Marie Curtis Park, Long Branch Neighbour- the ground around the Coles said she was fearful hood Watch - absolutely same tree. of disposing of the syringes anywhere I could think of," "Some of them weren't she found that day due to she said. capped, and the girls al- the risk of infection. She "A lot of people, they're most stepped on them," didn't have any gloves or not aware of their sur- Coles told The Etobicoke access to a sharps contain- roundings. So, I thought Guardian on Friday, July er, so she informed an on- maybe with me letting ev- 20, noting that this wasn't duty lifeguard - only to be eryone know (about the sy- the first time she'd come told that because the syrin- ringes we found), maybe across used syringes down ges were found in the unsu- it'll be a warning for them at the south Etobicoke wa- pervised beach area west to look around and keep Lilah Coles/photo terfront park. of there their eyes open. And may- Lilah Coles looks for more syringes after she and her daughter found needles at Marie Curtis Park She also recently found was nothing they could do be it could even save some- recently. In the front page photo, her daughters Jorjah Smyth, 4, left, and Reign play in a sandbox a cluster of syringes in the about it. one, because if you or your where needles were also found. sandbox her younger Still concerned, Coles child get pricked, who daughter Reign, one-and-a- called the info line 311 to re- knows?" Needles found in city an email response to to come here to do drugs half, likes to play in. port the syringes and was TPH spokesperson Dr. parks like Marie Curtis Guardian questions last anymore," she said. "We "Jorjah's only four, but told someone would come Rita Shahin, the associate should instead be reported week, noting that police love this park and we want she keeps asking what's go- to dispose of them as soon medical officer of health, "at once" by calling 311, so had not received any re- to keep coming here, but ing on - why we have to as possible. But when she said the chances of acquir- that the park supervisor ports about used syringes we've never, ever found a check the sandbox every returned to the site and ing a blood-borne infection can be informed and have found at Marie Curtis Park needle anywhere else - just time we come here, and found them still there a such as hepatitis C or HIV them removed as soon as this summer. in this park." why she and her sister week-and-a-half later, she from contact with a used possible. "Our officers do patrol have to wear shoes around called Coun. Mark Grimes' needle is low. However, she That advice was echoed the park, though, and I will the splashpad," she said. office and had an hour- urged caution when deal- by Toronto Police Staff Sgt. bring this issue to their at- THE STORY BEHIND "What are you supposed long discussion with the ing with discarded syrin- Doug MacDonald, the tention." THE STORY to say? I didn't tell her Etobicoke-Lakeshore ges. manager of the Communi- Coles, meanwhile, said Metroland Media Toronto's there's drug addicts in the council representative. "Individuals who find or ty Response Unit at 22 Divi- she'd like to see increased Editor-in-chief Georgia park, because then she'll Coles said an apologetic come into contact with sion. police patrols at Marie Balogiannis saw Lilah Coles' never want to come to here Grimes - who could not be needles in city streets, "Folks should not touch Curtis - especially at night - Facebook warning about used

again, but that's the reali- reached for comment by parks or school property them, but call us or city to help curb drug use in the syringes found at Marie Curtis t oronto.com ty." Guardian deadline - gave should not touch or try to staff who have the proper park. Park and assigned a reporter to According to Toronto her his personal cellphone remove the object," she containers for the nee- "Maybe if we had that, look into the issue. Public Health (TPH), there number and told her to call said. dles," MacDonald said in people would be too scared