My Interview with Danielle Smith.
After weeks of poring over statistics from a number of sources, packaging it together in a meaningful way and analyzing it to see what it all means, I published the results of my research and spoke about it this morning with Danielle Smith. I wasn't able to get into all the detail that I wanted to but at least I still have this blog to say what I didn't have the time to get in this morning.
I could have talked for much longer, but with time being a factor there was only so much I could get in. That said I am very grateful to Danielle for the time she gave me this morning to bring these issues to the forefront. It is something that has needed some attention for some time, and now things are being brought to light.
Something that I really wanted to say was that one of my aims is to help improve the area's reputation. I can't tell you the amount of comments that I have seen across various social media platforms, the majority negative, about the area around Westbrook Mall. The area around it and the surrounding communities have been described in terms usually saved for other communities (Forest Lawn). There were some that never had that high of an opinion of our area to begin with, but since the C-Train came to town, those opinions have been getting lower, and from more people. Sadly, many of those opinions have been coming from within the community.
I think that there is a lot more to celebrate about our neighbourhoods than there is to denigrate them. Yes, the area is about half renters, many of the low-income. Yes, the statistics say that crime is more prevalent in neighbourhoods with a larger number of renters. Having been a renter all of my life I can attest to the fact that many of the people who rent their homes are good, decent people. They care for their homes and their community just as much and, even sometimes more than those that own their homes. Unfortunately this does not apply to everyone and the result is a slow decay that spreads unless and until the neighbourhood bands together to clean things up.
Long time residents no longer feel the same about their community as they did only a decade ago. They see neighbourhoods in decline, crime on the increase, and no help imminent from their politicians. Frustration is evident among the people who call this part of town home. There doesn't seem to be any relief in sight. The things that were promised to help deal with the situation have been pushed aside, off the table. Consultations with the community raised the prospect of an increase in crime in the area with the arrival of the West Leg. Assurances were given, promises made. But as happens so often when dealing with our civic overlords, promises are broken. It would seem as though the people are being told what they want to hear.
The people of Glendale,Killarney, Rosscarrock, Shaganappi,Spruce Cliff, and Westgate deserve better. If there is one thing that I have learned over the decades of living here, it's that we can't rely on our politicians to do what their communities need of them. Many times those politicians are distracted by things like ambition, personal agendas, and/or the root of it all......money. It will be up to us as residents of the west Calgary communities to make things happen. I'm tired of being treated like a chicken to be plucked by both government and criminals and I'm damn well going to do something about it.
You can too. Call, write or e-mail your city councillor, MLA, MP, dog-catcher, or whoever you can think of. Do whatever you are capable of (that's not illegal or immoral) to change things. If nobody says anything, nothing happens. Let your opinion be heard and never give up on airing that opinion. Don't just complain about it and start doing something about it. Things won't change until YOU make them change.
D.B.C.
I could have talked for much longer, but with time being a factor there was only so much I could get in. That said I am very grateful to Danielle for the time she gave me this morning to bring these issues to the forefront. It is something that has needed some attention for some time, and now things are being brought to light.
Something that I really wanted to say was that one of my aims is to help improve the area's reputation. I can't tell you the amount of comments that I have seen across various social media platforms, the majority negative, about the area around Westbrook Mall. The area around it and the surrounding communities have been described in terms usually saved for other communities (Forest Lawn). There were some that never had that high of an opinion of our area to begin with, but since the C-Train came to town, those opinions have been getting lower, and from more people. Sadly, many of those opinions have been coming from within the community.
I think that there is a lot more to celebrate about our neighbourhoods than there is to denigrate them. Yes, the area is about half renters, many of the low-income. Yes, the statistics say that crime is more prevalent in neighbourhoods with a larger number of renters. Having been a renter all of my life I can attest to the fact that many of the people who rent their homes are good, decent people. They care for their homes and their community just as much and, even sometimes more than those that own their homes. Unfortunately this does not apply to everyone and the result is a slow decay that spreads unless and until the neighbourhood bands together to clean things up.
Long time residents no longer feel the same about their community as they did only a decade ago. They see neighbourhoods in decline, crime on the increase, and no help imminent from their politicians. Frustration is evident among the people who call this part of town home. There doesn't seem to be any relief in sight. The things that were promised to help deal with the situation have been pushed aside, off the table. Consultations with the community raised the prospect of an increase in crime in the area with the arrival of the West Leg. Assurances were given, promises made. But as happens so often when dealing with our civic overlords, promises are broken. It would seem as though the people are being told what they want to hear.
The people of Glendale,Killarney, Rosscarrock, Shaganappi,Spruce Cliff, and Westgate deserve better. If there is one thing that I have learned over the decades of living here, it's that we can't rely on our politicians to do what their communities need of them. Many times those politicians are distracted by things like ambition, personal agendas, and/or the root of it all......money. It will be up to us as residents of the west Calgary communities to make things happen. I'm tired of being treated like a chicken to be plucked by both government and criminals and I'm damn well going to do something about it.
You can too. Call, write or e-mail your city councillor, MLA, MP, dog-catcher, or whoever you can think of. Do whatever you are capable of (that's not illegal or immoral) to change things. If nobody says anything, nothing happens. Let your opinion be heard and never give up on airing that opinion. Don't just complain about it and start doing something about it. Things won't change until YOU make them change.
D.B.C.
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