One can only wonder were exactly the heads of our local politicians are buried with reference to their proposed capital projects. A sports/entertainment center, another recreation/community center and a museum/art gallery. Do not get me wrong; these are all facilities that our city can use. In fact, it is only because our local government has demonstrated an inability to properly plan and manage growth and development that these facilities do not currently exist. Which means they will be built at a cost millions of dollars higher than it would have cost with a well thought-out and managed capital building plan.

I would love to see a properly designed multi-use pool built in the city as part of a recreation/community centre. Of course with the city’s track record on building capital projects the citizens are not very likely to get either a well designed venue or good cost management, maximizing our bang for the buck, on any city (mis)managed project. However I have a sense of priorities. When you choose to proceed with only 3 projects, you have to set priorities, not just choosing popular projects. Excuse me, I should say that it should mean not just going with popularity as the way of choosing projects to proceed with. Unfortunately it appears that the city has done this.

As much as I would wish for a new pool, I can see more important needs. The old library in downtown Abbotsford desperately needs replacement. Not only is it inadequate in size, but when the staff warns users not to plug in their laptops because the electrical system cannot be trusted not to fry them – it is time to replace the building. A library may not be a “sexy” project but for students, people needing access to the internet, research, literacy programs, encouraging young people to read and supporting the general public in reading it is a priority. A new library is long overdue.

Perhaps it is that because any new library would fall under the Fraser Valley Regional Library that it lacked any champions at City Hall to point out that a library should be a priority. Or perhaps it is just that those in parks, recreation and culture were much better at political infighting – since all three projects fall under their control. What is clear is that there should have been public discussion and debate about our city’s priorities before any decision on which three projects the city should proceed with, since it is clear from their three choices that neither city management or our elected local politicians have any sense of proper priorities for our City. Of course this would have required leadership and vision, qualities that seem non-existent in our local government on a wide range of social, development, growth and capital projects issues.

Recidivism seems to be the best word to describe the way police are once again treating the homeless. In spite of the claims from City representatives, as reported in the Abbotsford News, that the City and police would be using outreach or social workers to deal with any Homeless forced to sleep in what were deemed “inappropriate” locations this is not what is occurring. Instead the police have quickly relapsed back into their habitual antisocial behaviours of amusing themselves by tormenting the homeless.

Once again it appears that we are facing the total waste of taxpayer dollars as the police squander their time in the pointless harassment of those who have no place to go, while they cry they lack the resources to deal with gangs and violence. A homeless person sleeping in the street is an eye-sore; an armed gang member is a threat to life and limb. Seemingly the City lacks any ability to set priorities in what they should be doing, whether in regards to is truly needed in terms of capital building projects or in setting goals for what the police force should be doing.

Indignant!! That is the best way to describe the effect that this resuming of old police behaviour has had on one of the workers whom the City claimed would now be used instead of heavy handed police (mis)behaviour in order to actually help the homeless get their lives back on track. While the police have never spoken about the homeless to this worker, the homeless have been speaking of repeatedly being awoken and or harassed by the police. Who apparently took the closing of “Compassion Park” as carte blanche for the reopening of “Harass the Homeless Season”.

This police behaviour was such as to result in a suggestion that this unacceptable behaviour required a letter to the editor. Given the reports I had and have been hearing on police activities I had to agree this reprehensible conduct must be denounced. Moreover it needs to stop.