Raise the Hammer

Intriguing.

A councillor makes the time to deal with what is, despite its place in the 'liveability' formula, an inarguably soft issue, and provides an 'interview'. But...but...

Well, let's flash back to last autumn.

And the Mission Services 'situation' on Wentworth Street North. And the questionable discharge of property by Mohawk College. And the débacle that was the unfolding of this handover/project, the pretty crap PR execution, the Cathy Wever dearth of community communication, the Hub missteps, and all kinds of concerned citizens who couldn't get straight answers as to 'What's actually going in that facility?', to work being performed without the correct permits having been issued...

...a situation that got so bad that this was created: http://www.scribd.com/doc/69825555/Good-Neighbour-Community-Contract

The need to be heard, for genuine, unbiased communiciation to be created was so critical that I was contacted by residents wanting to put on a town hall, to bring the issue out into the light, to get community dialogue going, and to bring Councillor Morelli into the mix.

I think it's fair to say that whatever answers the local residents (and when you get a chance, you should check out this neighbourhood just south of Barton; it's revitalizing itself, thankyouverymuch) got, they got on their own, without much ('any'?) help from their representative at 71 Main Street West.

So here's my impression, having had all manner of conversations with Ward 3 residents, committed residents who believe in their communities and are pretty inspiring in their desire to improve their streets, where they're raising their children, where they're living their lives: while I'm glad that Ryan was able to grab Councillor Morelli's attention to add to the ongoing dialogue about 'Walkable Streets', which clearly has no 'down side' (it's not like a developer and the City is going to be going head-to-head over this), it might also be nice to see the same degree of attention paid to instances where visceral elments of 'community' are front-and-centre. (Please, no tomatoes thrown over the inference drawn that I'm not considering walkability a visceral issue. Surely you have better things to do with your fruits...)