It struck me last week as I walked by Northumberland Court, mesmerized at the sight of a vagrant's head bobbing up and down from within the blue waste bin, that there was little doubt - public safety acknowledged - that a healthy fire at Northumberland Court would greatly benefit the cause of both Jack Athwal and the District Of Maple Ridge. A battalion of lawyers, accountants insurance underwriters, District staff directed (for want of a better term), barristers and the Supreme Court of British Columbia, could then engage the community in yet another 5 years of ineptitude. The whole Northumberland Court affair has now reach comedic levels.
Oh yes, the guy in the blue waste bin? He was busy dealing drugs. This only became evident as his clients scrambled out of the bin. Northumberland Court lives. While the downtown perishes. Thus now, as it ever was.
Radio Haney (Dumpster Diving Department)
On Mon, Dec 21, 2009 at 6:20 PM, tyler ducharme
Hi Monisha: My apologizes on not being in good form for our conversation. I put this together after we spoke and I went for a walk down in the area. I sent it to the letters section as well but thought you might be able to use your pull to get it in. As well I wanted to attach the photo as a reminder.
Claus Andrup took then photo I don't think he will mind your paper using it.
Tyler - letter below
It was the stench that really brought things home for me. When news spread in the neighbourhood of yet another fire at Northumberland Court all I found myself doing was shrugging my shoulders with the thought of ' ...really .... can't say I'm surprised'. But once down there in the complex and getting a full whiff of what can only be described as one of the sorriest examples of leadership by Maple Ridge city hall it got me thinking of the photo that adorned the now defunct community website which showed off the art work in the area with a mural that read 'welcome to hell'. It was at that point I realized that the idea of hell was not just one area that the powers that be choose to neglect and allow to be abused by one land lord no one has the willingness to hold to account. I realized that hell was a system that allowed this abuse to not just go on, but be willingly perpetuated. Report after report, deadline after deadline, excuse after excuse the charade goes on. Now get ready for a flash back to 2005 when a similar fire that gutted a building a different building at Northumberland Court. That fire and the subsequent battle went on for years which raises the question how long is the most recent fire and subsequent battle going to take? Given that the same players that were present in 2005 are the same players that are present right now to 'deal' with the situation I think it would be prudent to find and re-commission that artist because there is little doubt given how the current (and former) council and staff have dealt with this issue that hell is, sadly, once again around the corner.
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