I have a solution to the housing crisis unfolding at Sun Country Trailer Park. It’s so simple; I have no idea why I didn’t think of it before. Many of us have old tents and camping gear laying round in our basements. If we donate that to the residents of the trailer court prior to May 25, a tent community could be set up in the vacant lots in the lovely downtown area of St. Paul.
One of the best ways to revitalize the downtown area is to move people into the area, according to a friend of mine who is a community builder. I am sure for the sake of downtown revitalization everyone will be happy to roll up their sleeves and help get it set up. We could co-ordinate the colours of the tents so it all looks pretty. It’s a real win-win solution.
The people who move into the area will be close to stores, schools and medical facilities. There are plenty of washroom facilities located in nearby buildings and we could get them some large buckets to carry water back to their community. Perhaps local area businesses could donate some of those stones to build a barbecue pit where they could cook their food. It would be fun, like camping all year round.
They will have the best seat in the house for the Canada Day celebration and the Rodeo parade.
On cold winter nights they could gather in the entranceway to the bank or in the mail pick up area at the post office. Once their trailers are demolished there will be plenty of insulation and scrap metal lying around at the dump. Over time they could gather that up and build more permanent kind of housing, eco-housing manufactured from re-cycled materials. Perhaps it could be a training project for high school kids taking shop.
If a problem should arise, they will be close to the Town office, the County office, the MLA’s office and the MP’s office, where I am sure they would be welcomed with a cup of coffee and a warm handshake. After all, St. Paul is a people kind of place.
Think of all the money they will save on utilities. For some residents like Kitty, the 67-year-old woman who is hoping to go into hospital for a hip operation, it will be difficult to move her things. However, the kind and compassionate Mr. Latimer has offered to dispose of all her belongings while she is in the hospital, in the letter that he tacked to the door of her trailer on Easter Monday. So, fortunately, she will have nothing to move.
Of course, the letter makes it clear that he expects her to reimburse him for the expenses, which seems completely reasonable. He is good man of business after all. But with all the money Kitty saves by not having to pay for utilities, she should be able to pay him back in about a year.
It is indeed a wonderful world we live in.
