Pubdate: Wed, 20 Sep 2006
Source: Maple Ridge News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Maple Ridge News
Contact:  http://www.mapleridgenews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1328
Author: I. Mohr

IT'S NOT SO BAD

Editor, The News:

Re: Trustees Refute Meth Claims (The News, Sept. 16).

The greatest negative impact on my business is the perception that 
downtown Maple Ridge is over-run with homeless crackheads. It is not.

But our honourable mayor, Gordy Robson, and the honourable media seem 
intent on creating the impression that Maple Ridge is an increasingly 
dangerous place in which to live and the only solution is instituting 
treatment programs and building government-funded, privately operated shelters.

I would like to see the statistics that underlie this repeated call 
for treatment centres to be built for the seemingly numberless 
addicts in this town. What percentage of our population is addicted, 
homeless, and has this figure increased. If so, over what period.

Give us some up-to-date, reliable facts from an unbiased source so we 
can judge if Maple Ridge is indeed as dangerous as some perceive it 
to be, or are we being subjected to scare tactics.

The negative impact on my business is the perception that Maple Ridge 
is an increasingly dangerous place. And it's disheartening to know 
that the honourable mayor aggressively fuels this perception as if he 
had a vested interest in painting the town black.

I'd like to see him balance the downside with some positive 
boosterism (e.g. how many high school students in this town are 
crackheads, and how many get scholarships to university).

I'd like to see municipal hall take an active and direct role in 
promoting, provincially, nationally and internationally, our tourism 
and our town, and encourage small businesses and light industry to 
settle in Maple Ridge.

I'd like to see municipal incentives given to artists, artisans, 
crafts people and small businesses, in general, so that they would 
fill existing vacant shops and add even more vitality to a downtown 
that's not half bad.

I. Mohr

Maple Ridge
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MAP posted-by: Elaine