Did you know that if I am going to the New Westminster Public Library with my friends or family, we have to go through the parking lot, instead of using the pathway, just to get to the entrance?
I don’t feel safe walking up the little path because of the smoking, unwell people who are sitting on the benches, possibly all day and night. If I choose to go that way, I must walk quickly, avoiding the screamed questions and stares. It is not a comfortable situation to be in.
We all have the right to feel safe, yet we don’t always feel safe, even in our own community. That is not how it should be.
Why, with all the city councillors always discussing possible solutions, can we not find a place for these people to stay?
I understand everyone has many things on their hands, with plenty to do, but we do not want this problem to get even worse. The city council, as well as our MP, say that they are working on finding everyone a safe place to live — if not a home, a shelter — but it has been like this for years. We need to create solutions, and act accordingly.
Some ways we can all help, just to get us started, include donating clothes to local shelters, so that when people in poverty do go to a shelter to spend the night, they have something clean to wear.
We can also research the candidates during municipal, provincial and federal elections, so you know who cares and has solutions to homelessness and give them your vote.
Finally, the simplest of all, the one that really boosts people's spirits is just to give a smile when you feel comfortable doing so.
Some may say poverty has gone too far and cannot be solved, but if we all do our part, together we can fix the homelessness problems in our city.
Sarah Brewster is a 12-year-old New Westminster resident who approached the Record about providing opinion columns. Her youth viewpoint pieces will run periodically on this website. You can read more about Sarah in this May feature article.
