Editor: I live by the old CCI and have lived here for almost 30 years. Many of my neighbours and I becoming incensed with the reply of “our hands are tied” from municipal officials.
Municipal council decided to open an emergency shelter in our neighborhood and when someone there noticed that the residents in this neighborhood were upset, they decided to have a public forum.
What a joke, you already decided and it was in motion and the residents who pay taxes were silently told to screw off.
Since the city decided this, we have become prisoners in our own homes. I have eight security cameras, double locks on my sheds and cannot leave anything on my porch because it will be stolen.
Almost every day I hear new stories. “Someone stole my flowers of my porch,” “someone rifled through my car and stole everything that wasn’t attached,” ladders placed in driveways go missing and a lot more.
We raised two daughters in this neighborhood and when the girls were young, they would play outside from early morning until bath time at night. It was so fantastic to know that everyone in the neighbourhood would watch out for the kids. It was so nice and safe and we never worried about strange people walking around the neighbourhood.
Now, I know many adults who won’t go out after dusk because it’s too dangerous. We have people walking on Murray Street 24 hours a day and for some reason, these people find it necessary to scream either at their imaginary friends or other homeless people at all hours of the night.
We (homeowners) have found many surprising gifts when we venture out in the mornings. We have found hypodermic needles and loads of trash on the street, feces on porches, people sleeping on our porches, people sleeping in bushes and let’s not forget the huts and tents everywhere.
We have a retired couple on Elwood Avenue and the woman would wake up every day at 5 a.m. for a walk around our once-beautiful neighborhood. Now, she’s so frightened to walk alone in the morning after running into one of these individuals who frightened her so badly she doesn’t go out anymore. He scared her so much, she hasn’t done her walk in ages.
This is becoming ridiculous.
The city raises people’s taxes and this is meant to improve our city and the services to make our life better; instead we pay more and all we receive is an incentive to put more locks on our doors and procure dogs – big dogs – to help us feel safe.
I for one am very worried for the people who are alone now (widows and widowers) who have no one to help them feel safe in their homes. These elderly people deserve the right to feel safe in their own homes.
I ask that if you agree with any of this, be present on the next election night because these “our hands are tied” politicians need to be replaced.
Dave Lidster
Chatham
