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Braeside plan becomes a reality for residents

I often wonder about the gridlock that ties corporations and governments into ineffective organizations. Perhaps you’ve had the same feeling.

I often wonder about the gridlock that ties corporations and governments into ineffective organizations. Perhaps you’ve had the same feeling. Sometimes it seems what should be simple ends up the subject of an endless round of meetings, talk and study.

It looked like more of the same in the case of a promised ‘action plan’ from the city to the residents of Braeside. Appearing before council, the Braeside community committee detailed the vandalism, setting of fires, noise, drug use, drinking, fighting and obscene language they endure on weekends and through the week once school is out, a racket with accompanying criminal activity, sometimes beginning as early as 3 p.m. and often continuing through to 3:30 or 4 a.m. In a very professional manner the residents outlined their concerns for this coming summer based on previous summers along Red Willow Park. Administration was directed by council to provide an action plan within 10 days to combat such activity.

The Braeside committee made several simple suggestions as first steps to solving this problem. They included removing a bench from the park and two picnic tables from city property next to St. Albert Centre. These locations are gathering points because of the comfort of being able to sit and the access to pathways in and out of the park. They are all marked with graffiti.

There is a third gathering point known as “Stoner’s Paradise,” located on the south side of the river, just to the right of the path from the walking bridge. It is the heart of what has been identified as a potential tourist draw in the river valley. I’m sure that the broken glass, the tree with obscenity painted on it and the shopping carts thrown in the river will draw visitors back again. Why can’t mall merchants take in each other’s shopping carts at closing? At least once this spring 20-plus shopping carts have been pulled from the river.

This is not to indict all or even most St. Albert’s youth and young adults. While this mob consists of a small percentage of those individuals, it deliberately sets out to disrupt a normal lifestyle and is a large enough group to accomplish that mission. Also note Braeside is not the only part of our city under siege. These behaviours occur in almost every part of St. Albert and just as regularly.

Until Tuesday it seemed all that was coming from administration was smoke designed to hide a lack of strategic and tactical planning and no action.

Finally Gail Barrington-Moss, acting general manager, community and protective services shared this update. The bench and picnic tables will be taken out, RCMP school liaison members will be assigned to community policing this summer, not general duty and the detachment has leased an electric cart which is already patrolling the parks. Bicycle patrols will begin shortly, additional garbage cans will be placed along the trails and aggressive removal of undergrowth (great hiding places) will start soon. Other suggestions from Braeside residents are under review by the departments concerned. Ah! Less talk, finally action.

I’ve used the term mob in referencing to these individuals because that is what they are. Leaderless but determined to disrupt anything or anyone at its own whim. Are they connected to criminal gangs? Where else would they buy their drugs? Where else would they trade or sell stolen items for drugs? They are the individuals who are potential recruits for membership in criminal activity and that’s a road we need to divert quickly.

No one wants to move this problem from Braeside to another location so neighbourhood action similar to the work done by the Braeside committee is needed across this community.

Of course maybe it’s just me.

Andy Michaelson is a local author and poet.

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