[PHOTO] In memoriam for a homeless man at Yonge and Dundas

[rfmcdonald]

Two homeless people died of Monday night's cold. The first was a man whose cold body was found in an abandoned truck at Davenport and Lansdowne, not very far by foot from my home. The second was a man who was found unconscious in a TTC shelter on the southwestern corner of Yonge and Dundas, amid the glowing but heatless lights and screens of that neighbourhood's square, later dying.

The man, believed to be in his 50s, was taken to hospital after he was found slumped in a bus shelter at Yonge-Dundas Square.

Police at the scene said the freezing temperatures undoubtedly played a role in the death of the man, who was dressed only in jeans and a T-shirt.

Police say the man was also wearing a hospital bracelet.

He was transported to St. Michael's Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Temperatures reached a low of -14 C overnight with a wind chill around -18 C.

This display of flowers and candles was visible on a seat in that shelter last night.



NOW Toronto notes that as a result of the deaths, the City of Toronto has opened up its warmest shelters for the season.