Dear Editor
In light of the recent rise in violent crime and other public safety issue the North Battleford Good Neighbour Network is sponsoring a public meeting to have a forum for people to be heard, share their successes and hopefully get answers from a list of invited guests. The invited guests will be city officials, politicians, justice, policing, social agencies and health and education to name a few.
The Community Wellness Public Meeting will be held Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Knights of Columbus Hall, 1202 - 105th St. Doors open at 6 p.m.
People want to share their concerns and want some answers. Others may have gone through a dilemma and want to share their advice or what they learned from the experience. People will have to be respectful of persons and organizations. Much of the above will be negative, but this meeting is meant to be focussed on solutions. That is the intended outcome of the meeting. But people want to be heard and the discussion may take its own path.
There will be a speaker's microphone for the audience so people can be heard. There will be a timer and people will have a specific amount of minutes to speak. If they have more to say they can go back in the line. In some cases there may be a response needed on an issue by the invited guests.
This meeting will be another opportunity for the Neighbourhood Watch people to have a sign-in table as was at the city's meeting recently held at the Don Ross Centre. The same goes for Citizens on Patrol or others who want to network.
There are many factors when you look at crime, safety and social issues. The reason for these behaviours holds the answers - housing slum landlords, crime, addictions, gangs, bad parenting and poverty. All have a holistic community based responsibility.
We have a wealth of resources and great people in this community. There are programs, ideas, initiatives and people who want to see changes. We need to capture that. If we are using asset based community development and the concept of social capital, both build on what you have and not what you don't have. A needs assessment doesn't solve any problems. We know what the needs are, don't we? We've spent too much time on the problem and not enough on solutions.
Too often people just want to sit and complain and not really do anything. Good old armchair politicians. At a grassroots level people need to make things happen. Throwing money at a problem is not always the answer, but it does help. More important is we need some shakers and movers and new blood to get out and make a difference in our community.
Thanks to the Knights of Columbus for donating the use of the hall as they did for a similar meeting a few years ago.
So, show up, sign in, hook up, get connected and get involved. Or just go and listen. All people in the Battlfords are welcome.
For any questions, concerns or you have some feedback or want to get involved please contact me. Do join our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/68828265701/
Steven Cormons
North Battleford
