The Capital City Mission says its community is grieving after an SUV struck the drop-in centre on Rideau Street,
killing one and injuring several others
.
The SUV collided with the building at 521 Rideau St. near Cobourg Street at about 9 a.m. on Feb. 25. Five people, including the driver, were taken to hospital.
A man in his 70s later died, the Ottawa Police Service said. The man’s name has not been released.
Two other men were taken to hospital in critical, but non-life-threatening condition. A woman was in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. The man who was driving the SUV had injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening.
“Our hearts are with the family and loved ones of the individual who passed away, those who are injured, and the driver of the vehicle. We are holding them in our prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” the Capital City Mission said in a statement.
“Incidents like this deeply affect our entire community — staff, volunteers, and the people we serve,
The Ottawa Capital Mission offers meals and community space for those experiencing poverty and isolation, the organization said in its statement.
“Each of the people injured today was a beloved member of the Capital City Mission community. Our focus right now is supporting our community as we await notice about when we may re-enter our building.”
The organization serves up to 250 individuals daily, offering meals and a welcoming community space for those experiencing poverty and isolation with drop-in is open daily Monday through Friday. During open hours, visitors can get a meal, coffee, tea, socks, toques and other items provided through donations.
“Living with realities of unstable housing, mental health issues, and disability of any kind can increase the experience of isolation. We seek to offer a safe place where people can find community, friendship, and help,” said the Capital City Mission, which was founded in 2000.
“We will be co-ordinating with like-minded agencies in Lowertown to ensure that our community is able to find support in the coming days as we work to re-open our space. Thank you to those agencies that have already reached out with offers of support.”
The Capital City Mission said it was grateful to the professionalism and care of first responders who arrived quickly.
“We are co-operating fully with authorities as they investigate the circumstances surrounding this event. At this time, we will defer to police to provide further details. We ask that privacy be respected for those impacted.”
Chris Forget sometimes visits the drop in and says people sometimes gather in the morning to wait for the centre to open.
“This scene tends to be older individuals,” he said.
“It’s a safe place to get a coffee, or maybe a meal or a sandwich or a doughnut. It’s run by some very nice individuals. The people who gather aren’t aggressive,” Forget said. “Just laid-back.”
He also had praise for the staff.
“They’re volunteers,” he said. “They do this due to the kindness of their hearts.”
Forget said it was unlikely that the incident was malicious.
“It would be hard to do it without hurting yourself.”
Kaite Burkholder Harris, executive director of the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa, said the Capital City Mission offers a gathering place and a feeling of belonging.
“It’s a really unique vision and something we definitely need — a third space,” she said.
“This is absolutely heartbreaking. This is meant to be a safe space for people who need safety and be themselves,” she said. “I hope they rebuild. They’re doing something meaningful. This piece is important.”
Marin El Dalil, manager and owner of the pharmacy across the street, wasn’t there when the collision happened, but said she had a four-year friendship with the Capital City Mission.
“They are so friendly, so generous,” El Dalil said. “Most of my patients going to take coffee every day and sometimes tuna sandwich, sometimes turkey sandwich and something sweet, even fruit. Oh my gosh, they are so generous, even for myself. If I run out of my coffee and I need second coffee, I go there and they give it to me.”
The Ottawa Police Service said the cause of the crash was still under investigation.
“Investigators are conducting interviews, and our collision reconstructionists continue to process evidence. Updates will be shared as they become available,” a police spokesperson said.
Police would like to speak with anyone who witnessed the collision or may have dashcam video of this incident, who has not already spoken with police.
Anyone with information was asked to contact the Fatal Collision Investigation Unit at 613-236-1222, extension 2345.
Related
Our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark our homepage and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed.
