I wish to express a sincere thank you for printing my two articles – one, “Seniors helping seniors”; the other – “Final days of train whistle”.
My first article I believe was written well and I hope that many readers have read it. It is kind and gracious to give “a pat on the shoulder” to some special citizens.
The second article may not have been written in a good tone, as I sounded as I was complaining and a bit harsh. I apologize for the way I wrote. I was only trying to bring attention to this project where such a large amount of money was used up unnecessarily, and to ask the question of how it will resolve issues for residents, when in fact there will still be much other noise all around us to disturb and awaken us from our sleep.
I am not able to see through the thinking of some people that it was only the whistle causing insomnia and pain, and nothing else. The train itself is run by a loud engine, it has many boxes attached, and the steel wheels grind on the steel railway track and bang. You may hear the train from a distance, (yet, it was only the whistle!) How strange!
I feel I have to repeat myself. The fact is there will always be many different kinds of disturbances as we live our lives, whether we live in a city, town, village, hamlet, the country, a forest, near water or desert. This is our world, on land and up above in the skies: there is noise.
We undertake many activities, many different works of labour, which create different pitches of sounds we are all exposed to from essential services such as police sirens, ambulances, fire trucks, trains, buses, transport trucks, construction equipment, gravel trucks, garbage trucks, motorcycles and our everyday vehicles. All of these create sound that may disturb our sleep, but they do not bother you the way the train whistle does. Unbelievable – the train will still exist, the fencing, barriers, walls will be in place and satisfaction has been achieved. At what cost, price tag and what will the walls, barriers, fencing serve all of us?
Our world situation is not good. Leaders presenting wrong examples, expressing bad examples to other people. Our weather, tornados, hurricanes, fires, floods, wind damages, accidents, murders, crime, drugs, hunger, war, mental illness, etc. (Devastation, destruction, stress, worry, pain, uncertainty, fearfulness, numbness and loss of all life’s possessions.) These all would cause insomnia and pain and health issues. This is why I am bringing attention to this project, because it is not going to be of any purpose and it is a waste of money. I have lived through the Depression years and many difficult, hard times. I worked very hard to obtain every penny and maintain my living. I have a good value of money – only for essentials.
I have to ask: how are we going to manage when our funds will be no more? Is the cessation of the whistle, the fencing, barrier walls, going to return to us some funds to help keep taxpayers from paying higher taxes?
It is sad that the whistle will be gone, and some of you may say “God bless it is.” I just hope that you will be able to sleep now in peace. Fencing and barriers, walls will take away our viewing of human life, movements, nature and beauty and the sounds that some have adjusted themselves and enjoyed to listen to. As the saying goes, you are not going to please everyone. I hope that in the future money is not wasted in this way – and careful thinking is given on projects of need.
Thank you.
Mary Cienkowski, St. Albert
