I’ve keyed this post a dozen times and many more in my head because I think it’s one of the most important I will ever send to you.
Here my friends, is a snapshot of three things you need to know: 1) YOU are urgently needed at the Community Safety Meeting next Tuesday evening and you have an important and unique role to play. 2) Like most of us, your first thought will probably be “someone else will be there anyway”. 3) You will never have a better opportunity than this to make a real difference with these frustrating and heartbreaking issues that are the Achilles Hell of our neighbourhood. (No, that’s not a typo.)
Our neighbourhood is truly on the cusp of a major turn around.
Tangible signs are all around and the buzz is really starting to happen. I hear the optimists chirping loudly, “see, we knew it was coming!” and the pessimists are becoming loudly quiet.
At the Stadium Precinct meeting last week, Glenn Scheels said it the best I’ve heard yet: “this is a fantastic neighbourhood in which to live. Think about it… where else can you find an inner city neighbourhood in Hamilton – or anywhere – which has a brand new elementary school (POW) and will soon have a new high school, a new community centre with a pool, a seniors centre… you just don’t find that. And soon on top of that will be rapid transit on King Street.” Not to mention a brand new stadium attracting visitors to see our great urban neighbourhood!
But we have an Achilles Hell: Safety Issues.
At the May planning team meeting we heard McMaster researcher, Dr. Jim Dunn, share initial findings that show the top three concerns in the Stipley neighbourhood are: Prostitution, Drugs, and Policing. This echoes what we have been hearing from the neighbourhood over the past three years and that is why Goal #1 in our Neighbourhood Action Plan is Safety. (“Create a Community Where Everyone Can Feel Safe”)
Forgive me friends, but I have a pithy point that I need to share: We can all paint our picket fences white and have all the neighbourhood feel-good barbeques we want but if we do not ALSO deal with the safety issues, our neighbourhood will not attract the new families and experience the new vibrancy we need in order to become a truly healthy mixed neighbourhood.
You are warmly invited (and very much needed)
On Tuesday evening there will be a City-sponsored Community Safety Meeting (details below). It is the second meeting. Frankly, the first was poorly attended – perhaps it was because we were “all meeting’d out” that week or we didn’t advertise enough, or perhaps it was because folks thought “someone else will be there anyway”. Either way, we have another chance! .. the “planets are aligning” in an awesome way for our neighbourhood, friends. Together, WE CAN do something about even this!
Will you please be a leader in this great neighbourhood by being a “someone else” next Tuesday?
I wish you a safe and wonderful long weekend.
Thank you and best regards,
Steve Calverley
The South Sherman community is invited to a 2nd meeting to learn from each other and other community examples how to best respond to some of the challenges around safety in the neighbourhood identified in Phase 1. We will look at: Safety issues related to street sex trade; the role of residents, businesses, service providers and places of worship in ensuring a safe neighbourhood for all.
Community Safety Meeting, Tuesday, May 21 – 7:00pm to 8:30pm
195 Wentworth Street North (Mission Services)
To register contact Kay Morden at kay.morden@hamilton.ca 905-546-2424 ex. 2178
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