Day care near Manchester downtown homeless camp to close
Jan. 5—The Kindertree day care center, which shares a downtown Manchester intersection with a homeless encampment, is calling it quits and closing in June, the owner said.
In a letter to parents, owner Kristine Larocque said the neighborhood has gotten progressively worse, and she sees little effort by the city to control crime or improve the homeless population.
"I no longer feel safe or protected when I come to work, and your child's safety, well-being and security has always been my number one priority," she wrote.
Police have said that about 30 people camp on Pine and Manchester streets.
"The city needs to do a lot, more programs, more housing," Larocqu2e said Wednesday. "They have to do something. I want to see something being done; I see nothing.'
On Tuesday, officers from two neighborhood social clubs, customers of the Saigon Asian Market and other business owners implored city officials to address the encampment. They complained of trash and human waste on the streets, sidewalks and their property.
Larocque said she has put the building up for sale and has not decided whether to reopen at a new location.
She said the encampment started with one tent shortly before Thanksgiving. Now, she has to clean needles, trash and human waste from her property.
"You come to work and you wonder what are you walking into today," Larocque said. One day, her trash cans were overturned, and all the trash bags were missing.
She said bathrooms would be a temporary solution but likely draw more people to live in the area.
Larocque said the homeless have been removed from river encampments, the courthouse lawn and parks. She questioned why they are allowed to remain on the sidewalk.
