We’ve received an email from a concerned reader regarding Chris, and we’re asking readers for help. Until recently, Chris lived in the alley between between West 3rd and 4th, just east of Macdonald. He’s also often seen placing goods from My Favourite Thrift Store (now closed) long the chain link fence at MacDonald and West 4th, for passerbys to take as they pleased.
From our reader: “With his shock of grey beard and hair, and his ever-evolving display of recycled items along the gas station fence on 4th, you couldn’t really miss him.
Chris tended the alleyway like his living room, which it was in a sense. He kept his stuff there – as many as a dozen grocery carts full of miscellaneous bits and pieces. It wasn’t always pretty, but we grew to like having him there. He kept an eye on things, washing and sweeping the laneway, and putting out everyone’s garbage for them. His conversations didn’t always make much sense, but they were always interesting.”
On Thursday, July 12, Chris became involved in an altercation with two municipal workers in a truck.
From our reader: “They said he had struck them with a broom. I came out in time to see him throw a bottle against their truck as they turned on to Macdonald Street. Shortly afterwards, the police arrived. They repeatedly ordered him to lay down on the ground. He didn’t comply, and they shot him with what I think is called a baton round or some other type of “soft” shot. They took him away, and he hasn’t returned to the alley since.”
Chris was part of the neighbourhood – an unorthodox part, to be sure, but a neighbour nonetheless.
Does anyone know where Chris might have gone, or how he is doing since? If you have any tips on how to follow up, please get in touch.
Last modified: July 31, 2012
I had heard a rumour that a long time ago he owned a business on 4th ave where the Mark’s Work Wearhouse parking lot is located and something went ary as he started hording stuff. I believe he has family from what I heard. Sad deal but not surprising as I’ve heard this has happened before.
I heard a rumour he was quite well off, used to be a professional lawyer or something
He used to have a shop on 4th back in the true hippie dippy days. I bought a small birdcage with an artificial singing bird from him 25 years ago! Hope he is ok,
He did own a shop where the parking lot for Marks is. I believe it was taken away after he stopped paying taxes on it. He had a female friend who had a junk shop/hoarding place where Miz Mooz is, but I haven’t seen her in years. My old roomie used to rent stuff from them for movie and theatre props
I’ve seen him in the past week in the ‘hood.
Corey, sad but she passed away a while back, about 7 years ago.
Oh how I love speculation and gossip. For the record, folks. Chris did have an old junk shop in a lil space which is now the parkade for Mark’s. It was not closed down due to unpaid taxes, it was closed because Marks was building a store and required the space for parking. Chris was not thrown out and was able to negotiate a deal.
Corey/Donna, the lady to whom you refer to had a shop in the building above Miz Mooz, not where Miz Mooz is. She did not die, she was placed in a facility for her safety and where she could be cared for as she was having difficulty caring for herself.
John, the rumour that you’ve geard is simply a rumour. Chris was not a lawyer, he does not have an art collection worth millions, nor does he come from a wealthy Shaughnessy family. Chris is Chris, a staple in our hood and for his own honor, please use this board to post info that you know is true, not what you might think is true or what you have heard might be true.
Guys/Gals, speculation and rumours and hear say are simply that. Let’s put some constructive energy out to help locate Chris and make sure that he’s ok, rather than posting what you might think is the truth.
If this isn’t too naïve a question, has anyone asked the police who “took him away”?
Has anyone heard anything yet?
I saw a fellow that looked like him at 12th and Trafalgar the other day with what looked like a rough hair cut (just below the ears) and a very small beard. But the hair was white as was the beard and it was the same stature as Chris – maybe he moved from the 4th Ave area to feel safer….keeping an eye out for him.