A retired TTC bus is getting a second lease on life.The donated commuter vehicle will be transformed into a Hygiene on Wheels bus, outfitted with showers and laundry facilities to serve Toronto’s homeless by late spring or early summer of 2018.“The ultimate goal is to have this bus stripped and retrofitted with all the necessary equipment, in terms of the shower stalls and the laundry services and a place to put toiletries within the bus,” organizer Deborah Daniel said.She estimated that it would cost between $75,000 and $100,000 to outfit the bus with facilities that are gender-neutral and wheelchair accessible.Daniel said that each day, the bus will park in different areas of Toronto. People will be able to take a shower and change into fresh clothes.On Tuesday, Daniel went with the Star to see the donated No. 7423 TTC bus — her bus — for the first time. Ecstatic, she walked through the bus, making plans and visualizing what it would one day be.“I am over the moon and also a little bit intimidated,” Daniel said. “Because now . . . the groundwork has been set. Now it’s actually time to bring it to fruition.”Providing laundry and showers will help restore the user’s self-esteem and dignity, Daniel said.“We take it for granted, that we get up and take a bath and go,” she said. “Most of the homeless people that I’ve seen, in my experience, they look like they haven’t bathed in a while. It’s not even an option.”The bus is currently parked at a TTC lot. The logos and branding have been removed, as well as the PRESTO and announcement system.“We receive a few requests for bus donations each year,” TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said in an email. “Our CEO, Andy Byford, reviews the requests and approves them on an individual basis.”Daniel said hundreds of people have reached out, asking how to volunteer, how to donate or how to get involved. ...
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