I am coming to the conclusion that the more advanced society gets the less it learns from the past.
This city is no exception. The one action we seem eager to replicate is overcrowding.
Last week I had to go into the Sturgeon Community Hospital twice, fortunately not into emergency. On both occasions I was appalled at the number of people crammed into that waiting room. It is/was possibly the best disease exchange space in St. Albert. Are there no rules about how much space is required per person? I know there are limits for elevators and bars, so what about places where sick people gather together?
Then just driving around town … the congestion in some places! I use the pool at Fountain Park a couple of times a week. I am amazed by the ever-growing number of young people who must drive or be driven to Paul Kane High School. Surely there must be restrictions, parking privileges? Have school buses gone out of style? Is carpooling unfashionable now? Traffic jams constantly occur from Cunningham Road to Winston Churchill Avenue!
Finally, I have followed with interest the affordable housing debate focused on Arlington Drive. As a child in the United Kingdom, I spent the first 12 years of my life living in the slums of the inner city. These dwellings had no indoor plumbing, water came from communal taps in the yard, shared outdoor toilets … there were no green spaces or gardens. These were houses for factory workers of the Industrial Revolution. Yes, the new houses planned for Arlington Drive may have indoor amenities but it seems to me that there will be no space for children to play. The road will be congested with parking. This will only get worse on Arlington Drive as the new assisted living complex will create increased traffic flow. Hebert Road is already becoming a bottleneck.
The only people I can see gaining from this latest suggested building endeavour are the Protestant school board and the contractor. Yes a few Habitat homes might be fine but cramming all the other units in there is a recipe for misery. If our city council really supports affordable housing, let it be interspersed throughout the city.
After all, if we can make provision for dogs, surely we can be compassionate for those on a limited income who are trying to provide decent homes for their families!
Elizabeth Allchin, St. Albert
