Support the Squat at 1130 Water Street Building.

PCAP has occupied an empty city-owned building!!!

1. FILM NIGHT: Sunday June 22 @ 8 p.m.
Community event at the squat, 1130 Water St. , Peterborough
Film (TBA), Discussion, and Free Food

2. CITY COUNCIL MTG Monday June 23 @ 7 p.m.
City Council Meeting at city hall, 500 George St. N.
Squatters will present their case to the Council

Pack the Meeting! Support the Squat!
Demand Affordable Housing NOW!

Squat Update #2:
PCAP Squat enters fourth night amidst negotiations with city

(Peterborough , ON ) -- As of Wednesday June 18, 2003 the Squat at 1130 Water Street is still going strong. A dozen squatters have been staying on the property (both inside the house and in tents on the back lawn) accompanied by numerous daily visitors.

The squatters have been busy working to improve the property -- cutting the lawn, planning a flower garden, installing fire detectors and looking into building repairs. A communal cooking, composting and cleaning schedule has been devised and daily tasks are shared cooperatively.

The community response has been very positive -- the neighbours are friendly and some have donated furniture and household supplies to the squat. One neighbour even called the city to demonstrate her support.

On Monday, two city planners visited the squat and indicated that they would like to resolve the matter through discussion with the squatters. The city officials assured the squatters that the police would not be called unless there were complaints from the neighbours or evidence of illegal activity.

This afternoon, squatters met again with the city planners to negotiate the building's future.

City planners expressed their concerns about mould in the basement which could be toxic -- citing this as the reason why the previous tenant was relocated to another building. However, after reading the health inspector’s report, squatters discovered that the type of mould in the building is not necessarily hazardous -- of a possible 185 varieties, only 20 types are considered toxic. The inspector advised a second report be conducted after a proper cleaning of the basement. Up until now the City has not followed up with this recommendation.

Upon the squatters' request, the City has now promised to finance a second pre-cleaning inspection to confirm the status of the mould (by an accredited inspector of the squatters' choice). The City has also offered a contractor's estimate for repairs. If the building is officially turned over to the squatters for self-managed housing, they are willing to take care of the repairs themselves.

Though previously used for affordable housing, the building has been vacant for at least 7 months since a flood damaged the basement. City planners did not repair the house because it is located on a stretch of riverside land that is slated to be converted into green space. The City intends to purchase all the houses along the river with the intent of relocating or demolishing the buildings in the vicinity.

Community members took over the empty building on Sunday evening as part of the Peterborough Coalition Against Poverty's "Give it or Guard it" Housing Campaign and Squatting tour. The summer-long campaign tours unused buildings in the city that could be used for squatting or affordable housing.

On Monday June 23, the squatters will take their case to city council. They will rally outside city hall at 7pm and then present the following demands to council:

1) Turn over the house at 1130 Water St. to the squatters to be self-managed as cooperative housing;

2) Create a City-financed support fund to assist residents of Peterborough whose hydro has been or will be cut off because they can not afford to pay the bill;

3) Undertake a city-wide inspection and repair blitz: Inspect and order repairs on all unsafe and substandard housing in the City;

4) Grant legal amnesty to all squatters at 1130 Water St.