Reply to Last letter about conditions in our suburbs.

I think your comments were very fair indeed and I don't think anybody can blame you for feeling the way you do about the suburb. Debate is good but the “Powers that be” are really us, when it all boils down to it. The council and government departments are only too happy to have us debate whatever until the cows come home. Unless we become organized we are no threat to anyone.

To want to live in a decent looking suburb where social problems are at least addressed by government is not much to ask for is it? We know some people are anti-social and cause damage to people and property but these behaviours usually come from years of entrenched difficulties. There are government departments that can assist us if we only ask them, or , more to the point, become an organized group who can demand their assistance. The problems aren't always solved by the police because there are other agencies who can provide support to families and probably avert the escalation of problems.

A lot of properties are rented out by private landlords who charge very high rents and don't seem to care about the state of verges. Why can't they include lawn mowing in the lease for their tenants? Come on now, that's not too much to ask of them.

So, the question arises-how do we organize? Do we start with a public meeting? Do we attend a KRATAG meeting? If the latter is the choice then I think we have to met in a bigger room, perhaps at the Herb Graham?

Trish C.

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