A Year In Reflection - From A North End Perspective

I would have to say that this has been an interesting year for me. Since I started writing this blog, in August of this year, I got a call from the Mayor, became a member of the Stakeholders Committee for the Garbage Master Plan at City Hall, joined and was elected Vice-Chair of the St Johns Residents Associate, started attending meetings at City Hall, and met a lot of interesting people.
The folks at 311 have gotten to know me through my emails to them, with 44 bulky item removal requests, 3 requests for dumpsters to be sanitized, 3 illegal dumping reports, 3 reports of litter around dumpsters, 1 request to have a new dumpster delivered, 3 reports of untended yard litter, and several requests for information.
I have been talking with the people at Waste Management, adding my two cents worth into the mix as they negotiate a new contract for garbage removal. I have been told that the trucks sent to pick up bulky items in the back lanes of the North End will now be picking up all bulky items in the lane instead of the items listed on their one specific ticket. This is a major victory in my eyes. The bulky items are fire hazards and homes to rodents. The quicker they get picked up, the cleaner and safer our back lanes and our neighbourhood will be.
During this last year, my husband and I have been getting to know the landlords on our street. We managed to change the behaviour of one landlord, who emptied a residence into the back lane, filling 6 dumpsters with rodent and bug infested items. He now trucks his garbage out of the area. We also managed to rid the street of a few bad tenants. The party house is no longer partying, and a few bad eggs from another house were evicted as well.
On the illegal dumping front, we have seen many instances of illegal dumping, and reported three specific instances. Of those three, one had sufficient evidence to proceed. My husband and I made a statement against that illegal dumper, and the person has been served. I do not know the status of the issue right now, but I will go to court if needed, in order to ensure this person is fined for his actions. So far nobody has ever been fined for illegal dumping, so again, this is huge.
I was published in the Free Press in an article written by Gordon Sinclair Jr (http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/making-sure-her-hood-is-heard-105418393.html), and the Community Newspaper, The Times in an article written by Rob Brown (http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/times/Faraday-getting-Citizens-on-Patrol-program-111874059.html). Scott Price at The University of Winnipeg radio station also did an interview with me for his People of Interest show, which aired Dec 14 (http://ckuw.ca/index.php/schedule).
Marty Gold often mentioned my blog during his Great Canadian Talk Show from the Red River College Radio Station. He would read from the blog during the show, and often had a segment on Mondays called "A Weekend In The Hood". Unfortunately that show has disappeared from the Winnipeg airways and will be sorely missed.
I would like to thank the Winnipeg Bloggers who have added me to their blog lists. I get many people coming from Winnipeg Love Hate, Slurpees And Murder, and One Man Committee. Thanks Guys :)
That's it for now. See you in the new year.