Editor:
"I was nervous, but determined to go for a walk along the river Sunday, as I’ve felt trapped inside my home most weekend days. Needless to say, I won’t be going again. It’s a shame that as residents we have to hide indoors on weekends (my only days off). There was almost no respect for space on the trail by both young and old. I felt really out of place trying to have a peaceful solitary walk. Personally, I’d like to see more bylaw out reminding people to physically distance and enforce as necessary."
This is a message by our neighbour after last weekend. She is a health professional at a Calgary hospital, commuting every day. A stressful life, made even more stressful.
For the sake of all residents, visitors and local businesses alike, I hope our municipality will not neglect to address current gaps in public safety on our trails and streets.
We need bold signage that people will respect and follow, rules for sharing busy trails and sidewalks, active and ongoing education, supervsion and enforcement by authorities.
Only then can we hope for fear to subside and respect and kindness to emerge. Rhetoric alone will not lower the risk, neither change how people feel about it, nor how they respond to it.
With stage one underway and weekend visitor numbers growing, so is the risk of new transmissions in my opinion.
The province has clearly stated that health rules will remain mandatory for all throughout the reopening process.
Yet, today's Town of Canmore update suggests we are heading back to "normal" and even playgrounds will reopen soon. How will kids manage physical distancing and contaminated surfaces? How about their parents?
Lack of attention to public safety could bite us hard, potentially derailing our town's much needed economic recovery and wiping out months of sacrifices by all of us.
It is our town. Let's do our part caring for its future.
Make your voice count by sending feedback to our mayor ([email protected]).
Bill Piekos,
Canmore
