Last evening was a wonderful summers eve to walk and enjoy the nights air . I was born and raised in Abbotsford and the down town area brings back memories of my youth. We walked down McCallum Road towards the downtown area. The people who are now in the downtown core, are from a different walk of life , that I once knew. Drug deals happening under the dim business lights. along our way. People yelling obscenities , as they proceeded on their way, obvious drug related problems. People yelling at us from their cars as they pull out of the liquor store.
We are aliens in our home town, I feel unsafe, as we walk back home. I wonder what happened to my town, and I wonder how we can fix this.Are we going after those who choose to profit from the drug trafficking, their profit, at huge price to us , our children, our families our society. A huge cost to human life and dignity.
Do I keep pretending my world is the same, I look at a young youth talking to himself on a park bench and wonder who's son he is, handouts not the answer as it only seems to enable that life choice.
What are we doing to stop those who are selling those drugs, as they cripple our society, our families and our future as a city. We all should be safe to walk anywhere, welcomed and unafraid, so should new comers to our town.
We need to fix this at its early stage and not wait until it becomes rooted as a native normalcy. We owe this to our children and theirs. The answer to this problem must be found , and its one we cannot ignore.
Suzanne Digby