Parc-Extension residents worry that unless urgent steps are taken, their neighbourhood could become the next victim of COVID-19.
Community workers point to a number of problems they say make the area a target for a surge of the novel coronavirus. One challenge, they say, is the density of the population. “It’s often families crammed into very, very small apartments,” said Jo-an Audrey Jetté, executive director for the Parc-Extension Youth Organization.
She said about 28,000 residents live in a one and a half square kilometre area, which means even streets and sidewalks are crowded. “We don’t have that many big parks or things like that so even going for a walk is difficult,” Jetté explained.