Editor: I read with dismay the article in your paper dated March 31, concerning the vote by council on the new location of the Chatham homeless shelter, which was conveniently brought forward at the eleventh hour by a group of investors, some of whom requested anonymity.
Council rushed the process through without any consultation with neighbours of the building on Murray Street and without any consideration as to how it would be received. It’s just not a fair thing to do to a community without true consultation, and it looks, as of now, to be a fait accompli.
Certainly, the people of that area, and Chatha- Kent as a whole, should remember how council treated them when the November elections come around.
I question the motives of the group of investors themselves, and also of the author of the “Kudos to developers over homeless shelter” letter in last week’s Chatham Voice. This group is not only heavily invested in the city, for which we are all grateful, but also in the downtown core. Surely it is blatantly obvious they have the ability to, and indeed are, doing what they can to move this homeless community to a less obvious area of the city in order to make them invisible to downtown visitors.
They are the epitome of NIMBY (Not in My BackYard), exactly what letter writer Regina Stockus was denouncing the Murray Street residents for in her letter to the editor last week. Would she really want these folks roaming around near her business or home? No,
Murray Street, for her, is a great place for them. Far from downtown and far from her own place of business.
I do hope, also, that readers appreciate who Ms. Stockus is. Unless there are two people by that name in this community, she is the former manager of leasing and special events for the Downtown Chatham Centre and is now CEO of a Chatham special events business.
NIMBY indeed.
Let’s be honest here – political correctness aside – nobody is keen on having a homeless shelter in their neighbourhood. Not on Wellington Street, not on King Street, not on Murray Street. No matter where you live, be it the best area of town or the worst, everyone who lives where they do worked hard to get there and maintain their property. Nobody wants to see the unfortunates of society hanging around their homes or businesses.
However, we are all aware that they have to find a place to shelter also, so can’t we all have a voice, and can’t we all have the opportunity to protect what’s ours and yet still do what’s right for these folks?
Time is running out, we know, but there must be a solution found that is good for everyone, and everyone deserves a voice. Money talked. Council copped out.
Rosemary Robb
Chatham
Amen ! Why are the neighborhood people seen as uncaring??? How about we move this meth/mental health/drug addicted/tent city people right across from you; or how about adjacent to your yard? Let’s see how confident you feel with that !