Your neighbours are worried about safety on Selkirk
Morning from the Hub of the North — here's what matters in Thompson today.
You know that social housing building on Selkirk Avenue, the one for folks 55 and up? Well, residents there are saying things have gotten tough. They're telling anyone who will listen that safety has gone downhill, and the living conditions are just not what they used to be. The core issue, they claim, started when people with a history of homelessness began moving in. This isn't just about a few complaints; it's creating a real sense of unease in a place that's supposed to be a safe haven for our elders.
### What This Means for Thompson
This situation hits close to home because it’s not just a Selkirk Avenue problem; it's a Thompson problem. We are the service hub for an area bigger than many countries, and we're seeing the realities of that responsibility play out. When our most vulnerable citizens, whether they are seniors or those experiencing homelessness, don't feel secure, it speaks to a larger systemic challenge.
* **Safety Concerns:** Elders in the building report increased incidents and a general feeling of insecurity. * **Resource Strain:** It highlights the difficulty in integrating different populations, especially when support services are stretched thin. * **Community Impact:** When one segment of our community feels unsafe, it ripples through the whole town, affecting our collective sense of well-being, from the Vale shifts to the Kerry Vickar Centre.
We pride ourselves on being a community that looks after its own, but this situation on Selkirk Avenue shows we've got some real thinking to do about how we manage social housing and support all our residents. It's about finding that balance between compassion and practical safety for everyone, especially those who built this town.
Marla Spence, MiTL Sports Desk, Thompson.
The crew on the Morning Wire dives into stories like this every day – catch them live at mornings.live.