Editor, The News:
Bad mistake, Maple Ridge, the closure of the Caring Place Ministries.
The city will end up with more homeless people camped out in all areas close to the downtown areas.
The mayor thinks a new location will solve the problem. What a joke.
You will have people camped out at the new location, as well.
Why spend over $200,000 dollars of taxpayers’ money to conduct a survey on the availability of housing the homeless, when all they had to do is ask the Caring Place advocates, who have the stats on hand.
Oh well, can’t wait for my taxes to go up next year, to pay the bill.
One other thing, the city should pick up the needles. That’s its job. That’s why I pay my taxes. I’m sure that a respectable person would love to make $26 an hour doing the job.
Pete Senos
Maple Ridge
Moving on
Editor, The News:
I was reading the article regarding the campers on Cliff Avenue. It seems the mayor is finally trying to do something. It’s a shame she didn’t do something at the beginning, when there was just a couple of tents.
Since the spring, the people on Cliff Ave. have put up with a total mess, and nothing has been done to help them.
Mayor Nicole Read says council is committed to support our goals as a city, what goals?
Why has it taken so long?
Let me just say if the campers were camped outside the mayor’s house, they would have been moved immediately.
M. Chester
Maple Ridge
Doing some math
Editor, The News:
Correct me if my math is wrong.
We, the taxpayers, are telling the Sally Ann to close the Caring Place.
The municipality will provide shelter for 40 people. In reality, we will create 15 new places because we will have to deduct the 25 places that will disappear when the Sally Ann closes shop.
Volunteers were asked to help to establish a task force. Out of a population of more than 76,000 people, 35 offered their services. To put it mildly: A staggering lack of interest. Or was the majority smart enough not to fall into this tender trap?
Jan de Zeeuw
Maple Ridge