Pubdate: Sat, 05 Aug 2006 Source: Maple Ridge News (CN BC) Column: Ruskin Report Copyright: 2006 Maple Ridge News Contact: http://www.mapleridgenews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1328 Author: Tim Tyler IS THIS THE PRICE OF PROGRESS? Can someone explain to me why urban growth necessarily brings with it an increase in crime and the numbers of druggies and their ilk on the streets? These people certainly aren't in a position to buy a $500,000 home, so why would they migrate to Maple Ridge? Is it the services we offer -- food bank, homeless shelter, drug and alcohol addiction counselling, the shorter lines at the welfare office, the quality and quantity of accessible greenspace for their makeshift campgrounds? Assuming this correlation exists, that as Maple Ridge gets progressively larger, crime and its constituents also increase in size. Isn't this something the movers and shakers should take into account when they're engaging in the great Green vs. Greed debate known as the OCP, in addition to the other problems that come with growth -- traffic, water, sewer, and all that other infrastructure crap, along with the loss of green space. We don't seem to have enough police now to keep pace with the perps. Fer instance, our crystal meth use rivals that of the downtown east side, according to one expert, which certainly spells trouble for homes and business near the centre of town. Imagine working your ass off 16 hours day, six days a week to establish a business, then being forced to close because you've been robbed repeatedly by some scumbag looking for his next hit. Is this the price of progress? Maybe it's a stretch, linking development to crime -- grow-ops in half-million dollar homes notwithstanding -- but it certainly seems worthy of consideration as we discuss urban expansion into Thornhill once the population exceeds 100,000, which will probably be sometime next month, won't it? I can already see the roofs of the new homes up there as I fill my barrels with water by the Jackson Farm, itself under threat from the Vinyl Monster. I suppose if I live that long I will eventually be forced to start attending these OCP meetings to argue for the preservation of land in Ruskin, a doddering old fart with oxygen stuck up his nose railing against the development of Twin Maples or Ruskin Park. Because you know these guys aren't going to stop until they smack up against the border and all those Genstar homes in West Mission. There just doesn't seem to be enough money to sate the appetites of developers and realtors and that money, along with organization and lobbying, puts the little green guys and gals at a disadvantage in their fight to save some space for hikes and horses and corn and the view. I recall our merry band of Utopian socialists, in their incredible naivete, 20 years ago protesting against the sale of a property on 96th Avenue that was intended by the former owner as a gymkhana-style park. We collected names on a petition, we spoke at municipal hall, we had media coverage. We lost. I can still see Roman Evancic grinning at the futility of our efforts. The place was sold, a house was built and some years later someone was killed there. Bad karma You can yell and scream and wave your homemade signs around all you want, chances are, despite the Geoff Claytons, Craig Speirs, Dave Smiths of the world and others, we may not overcome and/or subdue this insatiable beast they call progress. We may just have to move, give up the fight, let the criminals on both sides of the law have their way. This particular phase of the process seems to have generated some significant opposition, though, judging from the letters to the editor. This may very well be, as I have said before, a watershed moment in the great debate between the environmentalists and the developmentalists. I have yet to make a meeting, unfortunately. Too busy, you know. The Wife is home, post surgery, and understandably a little morose at her state of affairs. I am now the haus frau, ferrying the kiddies around to their work and play, doing dishes, laundry, watching Oprah, playing poker with the other gals on the street. I am managing up to a certain standard -- hey, the spiders have to live somewhere, OK. But eventually I will break and have to start washing the Valium down with the vodka and maybe take a lover. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake