I'm a young 18-year-old male. I work full time eight to five, Monday to Friday. I have achieved a lot from my hard work. Fourteen months ago my family decided to move to Desjardins Terrace in St. Albert. The neighbourhood was great for my siblings as it was full of kids. The house had a big garage for me to build my truck, and a playground in the field in the back for the kids.
Our first month or two seem quite peaceful, although somewhere along the way we must have gotten off on the wrong foot with our neighbour. I started to get a lot of complaints about the tools that I was using, the noise that they created or just simply the work that I was doing within our neighbourhood. After a heart-breaking decision I made the decision to sell my project truck. It was a 1983 Dodge D150. I saved and struggled saving up my pennies. I worked and worked to obtain the truck but in the end I had to let go.
I lost a dream because with the complaints there was just no way I would be able to rebuild the vehicle. I've always wanted to be a great mechanic just like my grandfather. I felt as if my community did not support me. Every community has a different view of expectations and what they will allow in their neighbourhood.
St. Albert is supposed to be a city of growth. I feel as if I do not grow at all with in our city because there are so many stipulations on what we can or cannot do. All of the times a neighbour has chosen to call the bylaw officer. Our neighbour has never approached or tried to come and speak to me.
I would've found a solution for both my neighbour and I so that we could both be happy. Near the end of June in 2016, one of my neighbours came to my house, yelling in front of all of the children and she harassed my older sister. That very same neighbour also said that she would not rest until our dogs were gone. A few times following I had a peace officer knock on my door. I have always been very compliant and respectful to him.
A few times he wrote me a ticket. I understand that it is his job to show up to every call. Although as time went on the tickets started to pile up. I started to get more complaints about a variety of things, such as the bottom of my fence board being rotten, mud on my back door, and any upkeep the neighbour did not find to par. Again being very compliant with the officers that came to my house I fixed every issue they brought to my attention without a single complaint.
I told myself I would never cave in, I would never stop doing what I loved. I told myself time and time again that no one would separate me from my dog. Unfortunately, as more time went on the complaints were getting out of hand. I had to make sure that my dog’s outside time was very limited so that he would not cause any disturbance to my neighbour.
Our house backs onto the field with a pathway that has countless people passing by or walking their dogs. The times that he was outside or in my garage with me the neighbour still found reason to complain. I did not feel it was fair to keep a dog cooped up all of the time. As of late, I have been feeling very short on options. Thus I decided it would be best to rehome my dog.
On a recent Saturday I had a very nice couple come to look at my dog, they came all the way from Okotoks because it turned out that my dog and their dog are actually siblings. I felt a lot more comfortable knowing I was giving my dog to people that could provide a less restricted way to a better life. We took them to the field behind my house; I wanted to make sure that both of the dogs got along, in the process I forgot that the park is an on leash area.
Due to the malicious intent and supervision of the neighbour, an officer came through the field telling us to get the dogs on the leash. I obeyed him and put my dog on a leash. Afterwards he asked us to walk to his vehicle as he was going to write myself and my visitors a ticket for not having our dogs on the leash.
It was a simple mistake and we were all just trying to find a forever home that would satisfy both families. As they did not realize, I asked the officer to write me both of the tickets. He agreed to give me a ticket and them a warning. Under no circumstances do I see the officer in the wrong.
I do feel that something should be done about the overwhelming amount of calls. As it has caused me and my family to rehome both of our dogs, pay off multiple fines and struggle emotionally, mentally with the stress we have endured. I'm a young kid and as I said I work very hard for what I get. With respect we will pay these fines and then rehome a dog. This type of heartbreak is overwhelming, disheartening and a very big setback and a let down from my community.
I just wanted to share my story and I thank you for taking the time to view it.
Kolton Moore, St. Albert
