Youths unfairly blamed for ‘unsafe’ underpass
Re: Street youth “make downtown underpass unsafe,” Nov. 23
I take great offence in the suggestion that, we, the youth of downtown Ottawa make the city unsafe.
We all, for the most part, are struggling and poor. We live in single rooms or tiny apartments. We like to talk to each other and spend time with each other. The spot under the Terry Fox bridge is a popular gathering place because it is a central location that most of us live blocks from, if not under.
Because we are young we are discriminated against.
This is evident because even though it was one of us that was murdered last year, we are the ones to blame, we are the dangerous ones and we are the ones targeted and persecuted. We only exercise our right to free association and congregation.
Are we really expected to seclude ourselves in our rooms 24 hours a day? If any of us were breaking the law they would be in jail.
The insinuation that it’s our own fault for someone, a friend of mine, getting murdered there, when it was an outsider who came and did this violence is so deeply offensive and hurtful.
We have a right to congregate on public property and just because we are young does not mean we are dangerous.
Quite honestly, it us the youth who hang out there that keep it safe. We are very selective of the people who hang out with us. We don’t allow crack dealers there.
If you look through all of the garbage that is picked up there throughout the year you will find very few crack pipes and needles because we keep it that way.
By removing us from that area you will be displacing us to other, less safe areas of the city where crack use is rampant, while opening that area up to even seedier characters who’ll probably sell crack there.
First they remove an icon of inspiration to the youth that hang out there (Terry Fox), now they want to build a wall.
Why don’t they just start handing out 20-year sentences for being homeless and stop trying to hide their discrimination behind nice words and concern for anyone.
Luc (last name withheld),
Lyon Street N
Reporter’s ‘sensitive’ work praised
Re: Tearful parishioners bid adieu to century-old Erskine church, Nov. 9
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Centretown News and to your reporter Nicole Hunt for her most sensitive article on the closing of Erskine Presbyterian Church. I know I speak on behalf of the members of the congregation when I express our gratitude for her accurate portrayal of a very difficult time for us all.
I was particularly impressed that she moved among us with a caring concern and non-abrasive style which suited the situation. The fact that she also attended the worship service the following Sunday at Westminster church was impressive in completion of the article. The article also covered a précis of the church’s history which speaks volumes for your reporter.
Again, thank you for your most appropriate article on the closing of Erskine church after 133 years of worship in the Centretown area. Our official date of amalgamation was Dec. 1.
H. Doreen McDougall,
Clerk of Session,
Erskine Presbyterian Church