Looking for Shelter

02Jun12

Saturday morning and I have an appointment to see an apartment this morning and am still waiting to hear back from 2 real estate companies who advertised vacancies to rent in the downtown area. I emailed them last night and had done so 3 weeks ago as well, to set up appointments for today. We chose from the list supplied by TGH as well as internet searching on our own for places within 2 km of the hospital. Our preference would be to get a furnished place, rather than have to shop to furnish a place, then worry about getting rid of eerything when we’re done here.

At 10:45 I leave the hotel, having decided to walk the 15 minutes to my first appointment, thereby avoiding vehicle traffic and affording me a chance to note stores and services in the area. At 11:00 I meet Karin, and right away I feel I’ve found a new friend. Karin is a transplant from the east coast, having moved to TO more than 20 years ago via NL & PEI. I reached Karin thru our friend Heather and as it turns out, will be looking at the apartment she and her Mom, Jean had vacated earlier in the week. It sports a new kitchen counter tip and sink, freshly shampooed carpeting, has an underground parking spot available and is fully furnished! The unit is about the middle of the building and away from the street, so very quiet. There is a tree branch right by the balcony and the view is of a parkette and an adjacent building, but not directly into anyone’s window. Karin gives me the full tour, including the tenant-run library; movie room (complete with raised seating & popcorn); gym; pool; banquet room; convenience store and then tells me there is a gardening club to boot. I take some photos to show Carman, then work my way back to the hotel with a brief stop at the Maple Leaf Gardens Loblaws store...oh baby! I picked up some fresh fruit, fruit salad, sushi and croissants for us to enjoy.

Still no emails or phone calls from the other prospects, so I suggest we do a drive by at each site and see what we think, then check with Karin and arrange to go back and show Carman the unit she has. The first building is on Simcoe St. and there is a block-sized pit in it’s back yard where another building is being erected...this means consturction noise and dust for the forseable future at this location! We head to the next spot on St. Patrick St. Karin had given me a heads up that there is currently a waiting list for parking here and the summer municipal plan is to tear up the street to work on the street car rail infrastructure. More noise, dust, traffic issues and no parking. We cross this site off the list and head to Wellington St. W. There we find more of the same...new building contruction and street work...Meanwhile back at Maitland Place...the street is quiet and yet only one block from Jarvis St. just under 2 km from the hospital and it doesn’t take Carman long to like the place!

We tell Karin we’ll take it, exchange a cheque for keys, drop some off the bags we left in the car and tell Karin we’ll be back tomorrow with the rest of our gear! I took this pic of the back of the building, while standing in front of the National Ballet School on Jarvis St. looking back at the complex. Our unit is in what’s called the link, not visible thru the trees, which runs between the 2 towers.

Thank you Heather,  for the recommendation - your recently vacated TO home is now our home until we bring Carman's new lungs home to the east coast!