Today was busy as I tried to ensure I wouldn’t be slammed with urgent tasks upon my return. I’ll usually answer an email or two while I’m away to help relieve the stress of coming back to work after two weeks off. What a feeling as you hit send on that last email, and shut down your laptop knowing that you won’t open that lid for 19 days.
Emma and I went to pick up her glasses late afternoon the day of her surgery. We came across what seemed to be a small homeless encampment. The area is a parkette built to honor this textile district. A statue, spools of thread doubling as seats, benches, beautiful artwork adorning the side of a building. You’ll often find buskers or vendors selling their wares within this space. Today, it was another reminder of how we have let these public spaces turn into wastelands of criminal activity.
Our local government has been slow to act on homelessness. Being a sanctuary city, the need for housing continues to grow as people are given one way tickets to our town even though we don’t have the infrastructure or plans in place to deal with this large influx of people who cannot afford the soaring costs of rent and other resources like food.
I believe we can be both compassionate, and be pissed off at the growing garbage and crime in our communities. I’ve lived in this city almost my entire life – as have many generations of my family – but I’m not sure I can stay to fight for what I believe Hamilton stands for in the hands of bad leadership at every levels of government – including the sad state of our parks and the criminal activity where our children play.
Saturday’s escape come fast enough.
