It was on this day last year that I starting writing "A Day In The Hood". Wow, has it been that long? Or Wow, I can't believe it has only been one year. So much has happened. And so much has been documented.
But what, if anything has really changed for the better?
I would have to say my writing has improved.
Here it is .... the post that started it all. In memory of that day, the day I got so mad, I started a blog.
A day in the hood in Winnipeg
I looked out my door on August 21 as I was getting ready to go out for the day. To the right of me, at the end of street was a police car. It was blocking traffic from going down the side street. Behind the police car was the swat team truck, and there was an ambulance sitting on the street as well.
Wasn't it just yesterday when there was an ambulance and two police cars on our street? It was to the left yesterday, so it was not the same issue. And it was yesterday when a guy in a half ton truck stopped at our dumpster to deposit his garbage. Apparently he feels it is his right to use our residential dumpster to deposit his door and metal construction scrap. He even told us to clean up our back lane and be happy that he is putting garbage in our dumpster.
Oh ya, and the day before that we had another guy come to the dumpster to drop off his construction material. He said he does have a dump truck, but the Brady Landfil charges him to dump garbage so he prefers to use the dumpsters in the north end.
The night before that our neighbours decided to bring their loud swearing, and screaming into their backyard. They started partying at about 2pm, but took the party inside while it rained. I guess the rain stopped by 4am, because that was when I woke up. I did call the police about the noise after a full half hour of screaming being heard, even after I closed the window. But the police are too busy with more violent activities to respond to a neighbourhood who cannot sleep.
If it was the only night we were without sleep, I would not be so upset. But it seems that every night that it is nice, either the rooming house / crack house or the duplex beside it is partying.
Well, I am mad and I am not going to take it anymore.
What I just mentioned was a small picture of my neighbourhood.
I am going to start writing about the activities in my neighbourhood. I don't know if it will do anything, or promote any kind of change, but it will allow me to get it off my chest.
In my wildest dreams maybe it will assist in some small way to help change the laws that allow the many issues to continue. Maybe we can have the "catch and release" of criminals changed to catch and discipline.
Congratulations on your one year blog-iversary!
ReplyDeleteI read your blog all the time. Keep up all the good work you do for us Northenders.
ReplyDeleteI have the same problems with my neighbors, only it's in East Kildonan. They leave their fire unattended outside while they go snort coke in the basement, then afterwards they leave their ghetto blaster on full blast pointed at our bedroom window until 4AM.
ReplyDeleteI've been phoning the police as soon as they turn the stereo on because I know it's going to take them 4+ hours to actually show up on a Saturday night. Didn't we get a bunch of cadets that could be showing up to noise calls?
Instead, I've started phoning the fire department and in turn the fire department told them there is a hefty fine for having an unattended fire. The fire department dutifully shows up within 10 minutes each time the fire is reported unattended.
Our neighborhood watch phones 311 and reports/tracks every bylaw infraction at problem houses. Each instance of graffiti, eaves falling down etc gets reported and tracked on a Google calendar for follow up with the city at the deadline they had previously reported.
Did you know a resident has 10 days to fix a broken window? 10 days! That includes anything that is boarded up. Failure to comply will eventually result in seizure of the property.
I believe in harassing people that harass you.
Wow, 10 days to fix a broken window. If only. I think my area is given three months minimum to fix anything, and still things don't get fixed. By-Laws will look at an issue within 10 days, but gives the home owner months to fix. And that is only if they are able to locate the home owner. Houses I reported in early spring are still not fixed. And once winter sets in, there is no accoutability until spring again.
ReplyDelete