This is my response to an article in See Weekly entitled: Family-Friendly Housing Downtown is Scarce (Angela Brunschot, July 22, 2010)
Dear Readers:
Amidst recent talk of downtown renewal, Angela Brunschot, in her See Weekly article, sheds light on a frequently overlooked yet crucial piece of the revitalization puzzle: keeping young families in Edmonton’s core.
As taxpayers, we have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in roads, playgrounds, infrastructure, and — of course — schools. However, as schools are closed, it becomes harder to attract and retain the young families that are the lifeblood in sustaining Edmonton’s communities. Recently, more and more students find themselves compelled to attend classes outside of their neighbourhoods. Consequently, community ties are withering, and parents must become unwitting chauffeurs to the far reaches of the city.
The impetus for a truly sustainable Edmonton needs to be a joint effort between MLAs, City Councillors, and School Trustees. These groups must make working together for a sustainable Edmonton a priority, despite jurisdictional differences. At the end of the day – no matter the budget line – all tax dollars are Edmontonians’ tax dollars. And creative, collaborative solutions to school closures are urgently needed, as Edmonton Public has recently placed 70 more schools under review.
The quality-of-life benefits from living in mixed-use, environmentally sustainable, economically efficient communities are well documented. Changing land use in our city will take time and effort, but we have no other responsible alternative.
On October 18th, Edmontonians will have the opportunity to elect school trustees and city councilors who want to make keeping schools open — and thereby ensuring the long-term viability of our neighbourhoods — a top priority.
Sincerely, Michael Janz
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Edmonton Public School Board Candidate, Ward F
Click here to get involved in Michael’s campaign! You can also contact Michael by clicking here and donate to the campaign by clicking here.
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