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talktodiana

~ Igniting the power and passion in others…

talktodiana

Tag Archives: Stephen Avenue Mall

Downtown Seems More Dangerous

12 Thursday Jun 2014

Posted by dianasschwenk in In My Opinion

≈ 36 Comments

Tags

Alberta, Bonus Post, Calgary, caring, community, compassion, courage, Diana Schwenk, discrimination, Druh Farrell, Homelessness, integrity, kindness, Olympic Plaza, rant, Stephen Avenue Mall, world issues

You know…I’m pretty easy-going most days. And I’m kind of proud of the fact that as I’ve matured, I’ve learned to keep my temper in check. But lately, there is one situation that’s just making me angrier by the minute. And today when I read about downtown seeming more dangerous, I lost my shit! But I’ll get to that in a minute.

High Line Park in New York

High Line Park in New York

I love Calgary. Most Calgarians are top shelf.  This city does a lot of things right. In fact, several weeks ago, the Beltline Community Association held a public event at a park on 11th Street SW just off 17th Ave.  They had some ideas on how to rebuild this park and wanted to know what the community thought. Brilliant – I love when Calgary does that!

They had several tables set up with different themes like creating a sports park, or more of a social park, or something that could change with the seasons; an ice rink in the winter, water park for the summer, etc.

I was making the rounds and one table showed a photo with a fire pit. I overheard a well-meaning lady tell the volunteer who was manning the table that she really liked the fire pit but it wouldn’t work; it would attract homeless people.

OK. LET ME BACK UP A BIT. Some of my new readers may not know that I’m somewhat of a champion for the underdog. And for over 20 years I worked at an organization that helped homeless people rise above their circumstances and achieve independence. I just couldn’t let that comment pass.

And so I asked her, “Shouldn’t homeless people have the right to relax and enjoy the beauty of a public park?” She quickly said “I didn’t mean that. It’s just that some people are drunk and belligerent.” “Oh, so it’s more a matter of drunk people behaving badly coming to the park? You are saying that people should be respectful of others in the park? And it’s not about economic status then?” “Yes,” she said. “Oh good, then I agree. People should indeed be respectful of others.”

The "20 minute" bench, Stephen Avenue Mall, Calgary, Alberta

The “20 minute” bench, Stephen Avenue Mall, Calgary, Alberta

Then a couple of days ago, my friend Helga and I met downtown at Olympic Plaza. It was a gorgeous sunny day and OP is located at the end of Steven Avenue Mall – a cobble-stoned street that is lined with a bunch of restaurants and retail businesses. After enjoying a nice long chat with a senior we had met, we decided to walk Stephen Avenue.

That’s when Helga showed me the new benches. These benches tilt forward and unless your feet are firmly planted on the ground, you will slide off. They are uncomfortable. They face the buildings instead of the street. They do nothing to make the core more vibrant or inviting. And I know in my heart they are designed to prevent homeless people from sleeping on them. They piss me off!

So I took to twitter. Hey #yyc what’s with the uncomfortable slanted benches facing buildings?

Their response to me was something like: We are testing out these benches to see if it cuts down on bad behaviours blah blah blah. They’re only meant to be sat on for 20 minutes.

Figures. Keep out the Riff Raff. Bully the marginalized. I get it.  I calmed down and let it go…

…that is until I read today’s Metro news.

After years of declining crime rates and improving perceptions of safety, downtown Calgary now appears to be getting more dangerous, according to a core-area city councillor.

Coun. Druh Farrell said Wednesday she’s noticed a “marked” change as of late and has become concerned for her own safety at some downtown LRT stations after regular business hours.

“I don’t feel comfortable taking the train, even at 6 o’clock,” she said. For the rest of the article click here.

It goes on to say that in the latest survey conducted in 2013 people feel safer downtown than they did in 2011. In spite of the fact that 96% of people feel safe riding the LRT during business hours and 72% feel safe after business hours, Farrell has noticed it’s getting worse. “Lots of Listerine is being consumed. It’s quite a state outside City Hall.”

She doesn’t come right out and say that ‘quite a state’ means ‘homeless people’ but it’s implied and she feels something needs to be done. She’s talked to police and bylaw and social agencies and no one is sure why there’s an increase.

Maybe because there isn’t one? You know like the survey says… you know like the crime stats say… (Palm Slap on my forehead)

If people aren’t nervous about being downtown these days, maybe Ms. Farrell’s fear mongering based on her own personal observations (that are obviously more reliable than actual stats and surveys) will change that perception.

Listen, I agree with one thing, this city does have an issue with homelessness. We all know people live on the streets. But uncomfortable benches and locking up public bathrooms and covering vents that push out warm air in the winter with stupid art so homeless people don’t sleep there is not going to fix it.

Why don’t you employ different tactics? Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is?  Why don’t you make a personal donation to an organization that is trying to give homeless people their dignity back? Why don’t you have an actual conversation with a homeless person? You might find out that they have a story, or they didn’t set out to have an addiction, or that they’re actually human beings.

In a city where there is great outrage when pets are treated inhumanely and investigations are launched to look into these situations so people can be held accountable for their actions, shouldn’t we have at least a portion of that compassion for fellow HUMAN BEINGS???

Yes downtown does seem more dangerous lately, but not for the reasons stated by Farrell. The real threat is ignorance and an absence of kindness, respect, common decency and a sense of duty to our neighbours whether they have a home or not!

 

Capturing Ugly

21 Wednesday May 2014

Posted by dianasschwenk in Hump Day Chronicles, Out and About

≈ 22 Comments

Tags

Alberta, beauty, black & white, Calgary, children, daughters, Diana Schwenk, Elbow River, Hump Day Chronicles, living in the moment, Stephen Avenue Mall, Tourist in my own city, ugly, walk

THIS PAST WEEKEND, I WENT OUT ON TWO LONG WALKS.

On Saturday, I headed north toward the downtown core. The phrase ‘Concrete Jungle’  entered my mind and I was inspired to take pictures of the things that aren’t so pretty. I chose to shoot in black & white as it seems more stark and cold when capturing ugly.

This artistic structure is meant to cut down wind gusts on Stephen Avenue
Bikes and a piece of garbage on Stephen Avenue
Greenery atop the 4th Street overpass
Broken glass and garbage can at a bus stop shelter

Toppled construction sign
Barricade in front of a dirty window on 4th Street.
Attend services and get towed?
Fast food garbage on 13th Avenue

Step on a crack and…
A pylon lays down on 5th Street.
Garbage secured to fence on 5th Street.
A woman’s reflection caught in the mirror

See? Pretty on 17th Avenue
Broken sign leans on building on 7th Street
Alley between 17th and 18th Avenue
Tagged dumpster in alley

Parking lot behind my building.

On Monday, I headed south toward the Elbow River. I haven’t been that way in a long time. One of my favourite thinking spots is at the Elbow River Park.

Once, when Michaela was little I brought her to the park. I was watching her from above as she threw little, smooth, white stones into the river down below. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw geese walking toward her, circling in on her. When they stretched out their necks, they were taller than Michaela!

“Stop throwing stones Michaela, the geese think it’s bread!”

Panic registered on her face when she noticed the birds approaching. I laughed nervously and raced down to scoop her up in my arms. To this day, Michaela is petrified of birds.

Life pokes through bricks and wood on 30th Avenue
Dandelions flourish in grass gone wild on 30th Avenue.
A one year memorial marks the spot where some grads were killed in a car crash on Elbow Drive.

A stone bench at Elbow Park
Cobblestone leads down to Elbow River
Fencing to keep away dam building beavers

The root exposed by last year’s floods, yet the tree struggles to live
My thinking bench where the geese once circled in on Michaela
Sad thing is, I know people who eat mostly this.

A discarded mitten symbolizes the end of winter.
Ok, this one is plain ugly! In Canada Cigarette packs have gross, graphic images like this. Maybe they should do that with junk food and pop too?

This weekend, I set out to find ugly. What struck me almost immediately, was how hard it is for me to see ugly. I naturally look for beauty and couldn’t help shooting it.  Even when I managed to shoot ugly, I saw beauty. And when there was no beauty, I saw potential for it.

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

What do you see when you look?

Canada Day Celebrations

03 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by dianasschwenk in Hump Day Chronicles, My Stories, Out and About

≈ 31 Comments

Tags

Calgary, Canada Day, Diana Schwenk, Hump Day Chronicles, Millennium Park, Olympic Plaza, photos, Stephen Avenue Mall

I think it’s high time for me to share a lighter post!

On July 1st, Canada celebrated its 146th  Birthday. In comparison to many countries, Canada is still quite young and she is a beauty! I feel grateful and blessed to be a Canadian.

This year’s celebrations started out in Millennium Park instead of the usual Princess Island Park which hasn’t totally recovered from the recent floods.

Canada Day activities continued on Stephen Avenue Mall and Olympic Plaza with a grand finale of fireworks on the Centre Street Bridge.

I truly meant to check out the fireworks this year but I was just too tired to head back down there. An afternoon in the hot sun, no doubt, played a role in knocking me off my kilter.

I hope you enjoy the photos below. Happy belated Canada Day to all my Canadian readers and a very Happy 4th of July to my American friends tomorrow.

Two boys enjoying popcorn in their ultra cool wagon at Millennium Park
Fireworks photo by 680 News

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

How did you spend Canada Day?

Related articles
  • Calgary Canada Day celebrations ‘a chance to take a breath’ from flood says mayor Nenshi (metronews.ca)

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