Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Different Neighborhoods, Different Needs but Same Values

Since April, I have knocked on over a thousand doors in Kamloops and listened to what Kamloopsians want for their city. What has struck me is how diverse our city is. What is important to someone in Brocklehurst isn't even on the radar of someone in Barnhartvale. An issue for someone in Sahali is completely different than someone’s out in Rayleigh. But that's not surprising when Kamloops is bigger than 90 countries in the world including Hong Kong and Luxembourg. Even so, there are core values that Kamloopsians share.

For residents in Brocklehurst, the state of Singh Street, a fun rollercoaster ride, but a sorry excuse for a main north-south artery, came up again and again. One man put it clearly when he said "We pay taxes, and we want our taxes to be spent in our neighborhood". There is money in the budget for roads: Hillside extension is evidence of this. As a city councillor my goal will be to make sure tax dollars are spent equitably across the city.

A concern I heard frequently in Rayleigh was their lack of city sewage. Many homes have aging septic fields, causing potential leakage into the North Thompson River. Residents are also restricted from subdividing large lots because of the need for space for the septic fields. As the city investigates a new waste water system, we need to remember those parts of the city that have no septic service at all.

In Barnhartvale, the ravages of the pine beetle, the desire for chickens on lots less than one acre and the love of campfires were issues that residents raised. One suggestion I heard was that we may want to have different bylaws for different parts of the city. Given that Kamloops is bigger than Trinidad and Tobago, this is something worth considering. Creating and funding neighborhood associations, such as the very successful Friends of McDonald Park is another way to ensure neighborhood voices are heard.

Meanwhile, residents living downtown are directly affected by our growing homelessness problem. With 0.5% rental vacancy rate, there is extreme pressure on low cost housing for many people including a large seniors’ population, many people working for low pay jobs, university students, a psychiatric hospital, a jail, and people using drugs. Each of these groups has different housing needs. The most important thing is to know that these people are part of our community and they all need suitable housing. While both the provincial and federal governments have responsibilities for housing, the City of Kamloops can be part of the solution. First, they can pressure higher levels of government. Second, the city can follow Vancouver’s model to improve the development application process so that neighbors aren’t pitted against each other when social housing is proposed. Third, the city can expedite the sale of surplus land to groups wanting to build low cost housing. As a councillor I would support groups wanting to build more social housing in Kamloops.

Different neighborhoods and different issues. But still I heard many of the same core values again and again. People across the city told me that they valued Kamloops because it was livable, with great recreation activities. Second, they wanted city spending and services to be fair across the city. Third, they wanted a city council that consults neighborhoods before imposing bylaws. Fourth, they wanted a council that is fiscally responsible. Fifth, everyone is part of our community and people want a community that meets everyone’s needs.

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