The ongoing conversation on the unnecessary spending for the train track fence – it was brought to residents' attention that it was a safety concern, but appears that it was an attempt to get the train to stop blowing its horn as it disturbed some people. What's next, get the train to stop coming through the city all together as the engine and the cars being pulled cause a lot of noise too? Perhaps the city should have offered ear plugs or a white noise machine to these folks instead of making all taxpayers pay for this one.
The fire chief dressing up for a costume party ... discrimination. He explained it was a private party and he was dressed to show his liking for a certain music star. Someone sure decided to nitpick on this one, really ... do you have nothing better to do than troll for this type of thing? Discrimination for real is not to be tolerated, but who makes the decision on what is true discrimination and what isn't? No wonder the Alberta Human Rights Commission has a backlog wait of over four years to possibly get to your complaint. If you dress up as an alien, are you discriminating against aliens?
People need to stop being so easily swayed to attack others on non-issues. If you really have nothing better to do offer to help at the food bank, help find solutions for the homeless – yes we do have homeless people in this city – pass out earplugs to people bothered by the train whistle, help a senior.
As I have said before, St. Albert is not just for the elite, it is a community for all kinds of people: black, white, red and yellow and green, rich, middle and low income people. Council needs to spend taxpayer money on much more needed things than a fence along the tracks and try to pass it off as a safety concern.
Another issue that needs looking into is the huge dip in the railway crossing off of Sir Winston heading to Hole's. Is it the city's responsibility or the railroad? Fence money should have been spent on fixing that.
We do not live in a perfect world and never will, political correctness being forced on everyone whether it is needed or not has reached a sickening level and having government bodies try to put us all in the same mould isn't going to happen.
J. Ritchie, St. Albert
