East Village toilets now closed

[Ziggy Lidstrom]

Originally Posted by Jets4Life

Wow. Generalize much?

I had a drinking problem in my 20's, and hit rock bottom then moved to Calgary (tried the "geographic" solution...lol). When I finally decided to turn my life around, it took me about a year, but I was only in the D.I. for 2 1/2 months, and saved up for a place of my own, and CUPS helped me with the damage deposit.

I admit to still drinking on the odd occasion, but working 24 days in a clean work camp is no problem for me. In fact, when I found out I had a daughter, it was incentive enough to get clean, and provide support for her. People change. They just need the will, and the support of the community to do so.

Great message of success! Thanks for sharing this and giving this issue a "sig" and a "username". I'm proud that you found so many levels of success in this city.

I had a friend who worked at the Sal and I volunteer there, the DI and the Seed on occasion, so I have done first hand observational work and I must assert that stories like JFL's are the reason that I believe so strongly in these services despite their location. Now tell me how other social services aren't abused by regular generic folk only to constrict relief from being administered to those in need in a timely manner. So why are the homeless targeted? because they are undesirable until they remake themselves in the image of a good citizen. Nobody wants anything to do with you or your issues when you aren't contributing to the greater community. Even then their acceptance is tenuous.

They are people no matter how broken, addicted or derelict they are. My grandmother lives in Bland, and I have been visiting that part of city my entire life. After the DI arrived, there was a much more concerted amount of derelict activity occupying that stretch of 3rd st se to1st ave/Etrail NE. I felt that for her living so close to Downtown in a growing city like calgary, she should be more cautious. And rightfully so, I have seen people expanding their can or garbage foraging activities further into bridgeland over the years and I see how some people could be made intimidated but be smart and recognize the new codes of conduct in a modern big city. For years Canadians and Calgarians had the luxury/option of not having to be as cautious, but those days are firmly behind us, this is a boom city with large transient demographics (professional and illicit) and one needs to protect one's self.

As far as the Bathrooms... People, good honest people, have been accustomed to these types of things being taken away or not provided at all due to destructive behavior of a very small segment of the population. Few always spoil it for the majority. Ask those people who take transit that can't take refuge on a winter morning in a bus shelter, since too many punks have destroyed it.

I think that a vibrant community that blends instead of shuns, will give that area a new and rejuvenate atmosphere that potentially could give new levels of hope and strength to those who are having to survive amidst the dregs of their situations while avoiding the hopeless. People who are trying to make the best of these services may have a better shot at success when they aren't only surrounded by the abject hopelessness of a culture that is actively impairing the success of the committed few.

[strombad]

Jets and Ziggy pretty much just one-timered all the prejudice snobs with actual facts and life.

[SebC]

So does anyone have a solution other than "move the DIC"? How can we have nice things like public washrooms, heated spaces at transit stations, and the free fare zone without having them turn into dumps?

[Ahuch]

Originally Posted by Jets4Life

Didn't they raze all the wooded area between Fort Calgary and The LRT, along the river? That was a brilliant move by the city....

Yeah they gutted it pretty good for riverwalk. More concrete jungle...

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Ahuch

More concrete jungle...

I love concrete! No bugs, no mud.

[cam_wmh]

I'm having a tour of the Drop-In Centre at the end of the month, with a group I volunteer with. Looking forward to it.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by strombad

Jets and Ziggy pretty much just one-timered all the prejudice snobs with actual facts and life.

Yeah, I've worked with people from the drop in centre, and when you interact (like actually interact with them, not elitist downtown residents who walk by and give them dirty looks for existing, that's not interacting) you find that most of them are very down on themselves and really struggle with how they don't fit in with society in their current state, but really, genuinely want to get out of their situation and be productive members of society,

It's too bad how they get treated and how they're perceived (you can see a lot of it displayed in this thread) because it adds to their mental state and lack of a sense of self worth.

Quite frankly, those that live downtown and don't like the eyesore and problems that having homeless shelters create can F off. You guys live there and constantly talk about how much better it is than the suburbs. Well, if the inconvenience of having people struggling with mental health issues and being at their lowest points in their lives, but making an effort to get back into society offends you so much then move out of downtown, instead advocating to move them out of downtown.

Brutal.

[MotoRacer]

Captain f in obvious you build these perma potties they will be used and abused.

Who are these people wasting taxpayers money opening/closing and certainly now having weekly strategy meetings on this pressing topic?

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

This was the exchange I was referring to strombad. Peter was talking about the illegal activities that often, not always, occur alongside homeless addicts. I am not judging how prevalent these activities are in Central Memorial park, but your response to this was deal with it, they have they right to be there doing illegal activities. I disagree.

Drug addiction is illegal, or didn't you know?

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Yeah, I've worked with people from the drop in centre, and when you interact (like actually interact with them, not elitist downtown residents who walk by and give them dirty looks for existing, that's not interacting) you find that most of them are very down on themselves and really struggle with how they don't fit in with society in their current state, but really, genuinely want to get out of their situation and be productive members of society,

It's too bad how they get treated and how they're perceived (you can see a lot of it displayed in this thread) because it adds to their mental state and lack of a sense of self worth.

Quite frankly, those that live downtown and don't like the eyesore and problems that having homeless shelters create can F off. You guys live there and constantly talk about how much better it is than the suburbs. Well, if the inconvenience of having people struggling with mental health issues and being at their lowest points in their lives, but making an effort to get back into society offends you so much then move out of downtown, instead advocating to move them out of downtown.

Brutal.

I'm sure those people exist but I've also volunteered at the drop in centre and have seen people throwing away the lunches we have served them because they didn't like what was on the menu that day and tossed it and then told all their friends that they were going to get their free lunch at another place. There is always the element that don't care, are ingracious, and this is a lifestyle for them.