Tuesday September 16, 2008 Chinook Lake and Sentinal
Chinook Lake from Breezeway
Chinook Lake from Breezeway
Chinook Lake from Breezeway
Chinook Lake from Breezeway
Framed
2 years ago
Friday, September 19, 2008
It's Autumn in CNP...don't blink!
Chinook Lake from Breezeway Chinook Lake from Breezeway Chinook Lake from Breezeway Chinook Lake from BreezewayThursday, September 18, 2008
Alleys in Blairmore need to be one way
I have seen so many close calls these past 2 years.
Including the jerk in the 4X4 who zoomed thur a snowy alley last fall and hit my vehicle's bumper.
The alley between 20th and 21st Avenue need to be one way.
I don't even care which way, just one way or the other!
Including the jerk in the 4X4 who zoomed thur a snowy alley last fall and hit my vehicle's bumper.
The alley between 20th and 21st Avenue need to be one way.
I don't even care which way, just one way or the other!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Helicopter Ride "Bird's Eye View" of Crowsnest Pass, Alberta.
An experience I highly recommend for anyone anytime, perhaps except for military reasons!
Crowsnest
Crowsnest, Closer Yet
Seven Sisters, then Crowsnest on the north side upclose and personal
Seven Sisters
Turtle Mountain, upclose and personal
Blairmore
Blairmore
I took some 80 photos but I thought that might be a bit more. If you want to see more, let me know and I'll post them.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
The Broken Window Theory in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta
Monday, August 25, 2008
129th - 127th in Blairmore in the alley between 20th and 21st Ave
Moving from an urban core area (Kansas City, Kansas) to a rural setting (Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Canada), I thought the issues would be different.
For the most part, they are not because people are the same everyone on this small little planet we call home.
And don't ya just know it--it's in my own back yard!
The broken window theory that I learned so well in Kansas City is alive and well here in Blairmore. I have watched as the apathy and vandalism has crept down the alleyway behind where we live. Specifically this article refers to the alley, east to west from 129th to 127th in the alley between 20th Avenue and 21st Avenue in downtown Blairmore.
First there was the apathy from the property owners which includes but is not limited to weeds, trash, junk, and untagged vehicles at Greyhound and unkempt building appearances the length of the alley. It also includes minor bylaw offenses and minor vandalism including the damage done to the alcove above the basement stairs at the Crowsnest Insurance Building. On weekends and after business hours, I have seen individuals sitting in this stairwell.
The old car lot, vacant house and old hotel rooms are in disrepair with junk, peeling paint, holes in the foundation of both the house and the far south hotel room. Within the lot itself, I have watched as the vehicles stored there are broken into and windows broken and left that way. I have witnessed youth sitting on the stairs of both the hotel rooms and the vacant house there, smoking and drinking from beer bottles. They also go between the vacant house and the hotel rooms inside the old carport. There they are safe from prying eyes and the wind. Additionally, I have witnessed both cats and skunks exiting the foundation area of the hotel.
The wall of the Rexall building is in disrepair. The fence has been damaged in multiple places. There are also places where the wall has bulged and has crumbling. Is this wall safe? Am I the only one to notice the cable wire that has been placed on the fence and hung down to the alley for a quick getaway either from or to the alley.
Next came the graffiti on the back of buildings including True Value Hardware and Strictly Detailing (now Bumper to Bumper). This happened several months ago. Then in July on the RBC building, there appeared graffiti.
With apathy from property owners seemingly at full throttle through allowance/neglect of the details, more damage is occurring in the area.
The week of Aug 15th, a vacant house now for sale, had the back fence ripped and the guide wire casing damaged.
This pass weekend, 2 doors west from the house above, the back fencing was damaged. Only this time the damage was more extensive. An entire section near the end of the fence was ripped off. This house has weeds in the alley 2 feet high which while the house is occupied gives it the look of a house where there is apathy-regardless of the circumstances.
Not to be outdone, more damage was done at the for sale house on the fence with another section being damaged and a board being removed and thrown in the parking lot at the RBC building.
Then this morning, Aug 25th, 2008 there is more damage to both fences. The other two houses on that side of the alley are well kept and have appeared to be left alone.
That is the broken window theory in a heartbeat. Where there is one broken window there will be more. Where there is graffiti, there will be more. Where there is rotting trash and junk left in the alley, there will be more. Where there is apathy by land owners, there will be more. To that degree, it does not matter if it is apathy by the land owners or the tenants. In the eyes of vandals, it is the same. If there is apathy in an area, vandals can sniff it out and take advantage of it and use it to their advantage in all ways at all times.
What has been the response time to these minor offenses and/or vandalism? I do not necessarily mean the response time of officials, who do not even get notified promptly of the vandalism. I mean the response time of the community. Specifically, I am asking the question to the land owners and the land users. Where is your responsibility to the land you have/use/make your money from?
Where minor damage and vandalism are allowed to occur, there will be more.
You can view photographs here: http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2005576&l=6f550&id=1252958501
September 8, 2008
As an update to the above, both of the homeowners have repaired their fences that were damaged by vandals. Someone, God Bless Them, picked up the bag of trash that had been disposed of in the ally by Bumper to Bumper. Perhaps it was them who picked it up.
There have been an additional 2 incidences, unwitnessed, of vandalism to our personal vehicle. The majority of the vandalism is occurring Thurs - Sun late night. There is no doubt it is drunk young men walking through the alleys between the Cosmo and the Green Hill, both bars in the area.
From the apathy that I am witness to here and from past experience with situations smilar to this, it will only end when it escalates to physical violence which I anticpate will happen as the weather turns colder and the drunks meaner.
This is not my intent but no one seems to be listening or better stated-no one is responding to what I am saying which is unforturnate for us all in this community.
I pray that I am wrong about the violence. Still, I pray each day that no one is seriously injured when it happens though, especially my husband and the drunks.
We are located 1/2 block from the local RCMP office. Assume what you will.
Toni Jackson
129th - 127th in Blairmore in the alley between 20th and 21st Ave
Moving from an urban core area (Kansas City, Kansas) to a rural setting (Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Canada), I thought the issues would be different.
For the most part, they are not because people are the same everyone on this small little planet we call home.
And don't ya just know it--it's in my own back yard!
The broken window theory that I learned so well in Kansas City is alive and well here in Blairmore. I have watched as the apathy and vandalism has crept down the alleyway behind where we live. Specifically this article refers to the alley, east to west from 129th to 127th in the alley between 20th Avenue and 21st Avenue in downtown Blairmore.
First there was the apathy from the property owners which includes but is not limited to weeds, trash, junk, and untagged vehicles at Greyhound and unkempt building appearances the length of the alley. It also includes minor bylaw offenses and minor vandalism including the damage done to the alcove above the basement stairs at the Crowsnest Insurance Building. On weekends and after business hours, I have seen individuals sitting in this stairwell.
The old car lot, vacant house and old hotel rooms are in disrepair with junk, peeling paint, holes in the foundation of both the house and the far south hotel room. Within the lot itself, I have watched as the vehicles stored there are broken into and windows broken and left that way. I have witnessed youth sitting on the stairs of both the hotel rooms and the vacant house there, smoking and drinking from beer bottles. They also go between the vacant house and the hotel rooms inside the old carport. There they are safe from prying eyes and the wind. Additionally, I have witnessed both cats and skunks exiting the foundation area of the hotel.
The wall of the Rexall building is in disrepair. The fence has been damaged in multiple places. There are also places where the wall has bulged and has crumbling. Is this wall safe? Am I the only one to notice the cable wire that has been placed on the fence and hung down to the alley for a quick getaway either from or to the alley.
Next came the graffiti on the back of buildings including True Value Hardware and Strictly Detailing (now Bumper to Bumper). This happened several months ago. Then in July on the RBC building, there appeared graffiti.
With apathy from property owners seemingly at full throttle through allowance/neglect of the details, more damage is occurring in the area.
The week of Aug 15th, a vacant house now for sale, had the back fence ripped and the guide wire casing damaged.
This pass weekend, 2 doors west from the house above, the back fencing was damaged. Only this time the damage was more extensive. An entire section near the end of the fence was ripped off. This house has weeds in the alley 2 feet high which while the house is occupied gives it the look of a house where there is apathy-regardless of the circumstances.
Not to be outdone, more damage was done at the for sale house on the fence with another section being damaged and a board being removed and thrown in the parking lot at the RBC building.
Then this morning, Aug 25th, 2008 there is more damage to both fences. The other two houses on that side of the alley are well kept and have appeared to be left alone.
That is the broken window theory in a heartbeat. Where there is one broken window there will be more. Where there is graffiti, there will be more. Where there is rotting trash and junk left in the alley, there will be more. Where there is apathy by land owners, there will be more. To that degree, it does not matter if it is apathy by the land owners or the tenants. In the eyes of vandals, it is the same. If there is apathy in an area, vandals can sniff it out and take advantage of it and use it to their advantage in all ways at all times.
What has been the response time to these minor offenses and/or vandalism? I do not necessarily mean the response time of officials, who do not even get notified promptly of the vandalism. I mean the response time of the community. Specifically, I am asking the question to the land owners and the land users. Where is your responsibility to the land you have/use/make your money from?
Where minor damage and vandalism are allowed to occur, there will be more.
You can view photographs here: http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2005576&l=6f550&id=1252958501
September 8, 2008
As an update to the above, both of the homeowners have repaired their fences that were damaged by vandals. Someone, God Bless Them, picked up the bag of trash that had been disposed of in the ally by Bumper to Bumper. Perhaps it was them who picked it up.
There have been an additional 2 incidences, unwitnessed, of vandalism to our personal vehicle. The majority of the vandalism is occurring Thurs - Sun late night. There is no doubt it is drunk young men walking through the alleys between the Cosmo and the Green Hill, both bars in the area.
From the apathy that I am witness to here and from past experience with situations smilar to this, it will only end when it escalates to physical violence which I anticpate will happen as the weather turns colder and the drunks meaner.
This is not my intent but no one seems to be listening or better stated-no one is responding to what I am saying which is unforturnate for us all in this community.
I pray that I am wrong about the violence. Still, I pray each day that no one is seriously injured when it happens though, especially my husband and the drunks.
We are located 1/2 block from the local RCMP office. Assume what you will.
Toni Jackson
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