Protesters rally against fencing for Galt Gardens; council rejects motion to explore idea
By Lethbridge Herald on July 25, 2023.
Demonstrators line up on the steps out front of city hall during a rally to voice their opposition to the idea of fencing around Galt Gardens, as council met Tuesday afternoon and eventually rejected a proposal to look into the feasibility of the idea.
Herald photo by Ian MartensSteffanie Costigan – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Concerned community members gathered outside of City Hall on Tuesday afternoon to rally against an official business motion being presented to council that called for administration to look into the feasability of installing wrought iron fencing around Galt Gardens.
Early in its meeting, council voted against the motion which was presented, not to have council take action on fencing, but rather to have administration report back with information for a community dialogue on the matter.
The protest began with an introduction speech, a song, and speakers followed by free speakers from the audience. Lethbridge lead for Moms Stop the Harm, Lori Hatfield, shared the negative image the a fence would symbolize and her astonishment the idea was even brought up.
“This is definitely making a statement, a negative statement. In fact, I’m surprised that they’re not embarrassed like to even bring this forward, especially in today’s culture with reconciliation and everything else that we are trying to move to, to prevent further stigmatization,” said Hatfield.
Hatfield said when she saw the motion, she got together with other concerned community members and helped organize a peaceful rally. She expressed the finances for the proposed fencing should be going towards needed housing.
“It’s not enough to fix the entire housing projects that we would need, but it’s definitely enough, like it would make a dent, it would have some impact. And like I said, they need to be bringing this forward. They need to be propositioning the provincial and the federal government more for our city and speaking up and telling them that we need more, and I don’t think they do enough of that.”
One of the speakers at the rally, Esther Tailfeathers, talked about the humanitarian approach that is needed and goodwill of people within Lethbridge.
“This is so important because we need to be taking a look at taking a humanitarian approach. And I really believe that there’s a lot of people in Lethbridge with goodwill and a good heart and who understand that if one part of society is hurting, it eventually hurts in other parts of society.
“And so, I think that the show-up today of all these people shows the humanity of the people in Lethbridge and the concern that they have for other people in the city of Lethbridge,” said Tailfeathers.
Tailfeathers shared the history of Galt Gardens and talked about racist interactions in the 1940s, and how Indigenous people were only legally allowed to purchase alcohol in 1959.
“In fact, people gathered in Galt Gardens historically when they came to Lethbridge for trading, and for other things, but also it became a gathering place because Indigenous people or Indian people were not considered human.”
During the rally, an unexpected commotion arose adjacent to the crowd as an counter-protester arrived, voicing his feelings how he believes a fence to be a measure of safety.
Connor Shaw opposed the rally, dressed in a suit coat and sunglasses, holding high a Union Jack flag. He described his stepfather being stabbed at Galt Gardens after refusing an individual a lighter and cigarettes.
“Now, I may be wrong, but my understanding what the fence is, it’s not making it an exclusive club. It is bottlenecking the entrances to public and easily visible areas to change the psychology about entering the park, you’re entering a space of tranquility rather than somewhere in the open air of a downtown city,” said Shaw.
“Secondly, it makes it easier for police monitoring of criminal activity through those entrances.”
Rally attendee Angela Harrison helped to de-escalate the commotion Shaw’s presence had at the rally. Harrison said she wishes the situation with Shaw was handled differently and the challenges the proposed fencing would create in the community.
“I’m very sad that people were shoving him out and not allowing him to have a voice. He also deserves to have a voice and a say. It sounds like he suffered a trauma and a loss that he attributes to that park or to a certain demographic of people.
“But I don’t believe that it’s a demographic of people. And I don’t believe that putting a fence up will stop stabbings or crime. In any event, there the crime will spread out into the core of the city. People need places to go.”
Harrison noted homeless individuals are not trying to disrespect but simply are seeking shelter and other needs they find at the Galt Gardens.
“They’re not out there to be disrespectful. They are simply looking for some shelter and some kindness, and humanity has just gone so far because they’re looking at the problem. They’re focused in the problem. They’re focused in the blame. And there’s simply not enough resources.”
Rally supporters Jessie Tollestrup talked about the ongoing housing crisis and the importance of utilizing funding not on a fence, but rather on support for the homeless.
“It seems really obvious and simple. Help homeless people rather than build fences to keep them out of the public view.”
Hatfield said the homeless are stigmatized. She has empathy for the difficulty of living on the streets.
“It’s sad to say, but everybody stigmatizes that everybody that’s homeless is an addict. And that’s not true… I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have to leave my home and have nowhere to go. And you end up on the street. How do you face that every day and not have to numb yourself?”
26-25
I am undecided on the fence , however 100% in support of the reason it was discussed … Galt Gardens is anything but a public place today ..
Go and get the physical copy of the newspaper today, for more pictures. The 2 or more people who physically assaulted the counter protestor should be charged. The strong woke crowd is too emotional and militant on a regular basis. I happen to agree that a fence could create as many problems as it claims to solve. My point is anyone has a right to disagree. I also wonder how many of these militants spend any time or only with large crowds present (of like people to themselves) , in the park.
Assault charges in these cases are often dropped by each party, but it is very sad when we cannot have freedom of speech without physical interactions. I believe in the right to ‘peaceful’ protests as is our right. Bringing a controversial flag, makes a statement all of its own, and although Shaw had a right and a good of example of the issues in the park which are kept quiet, his stance was confrontational.
This crisis has angered many citizens as well as divided many and has to end!
So much to unpack from this! I do agree that the fence is not the way to go, even though I disagree with Mom’s Stop the Harm and feel they, and groups like them are part of the problem, enabling addicts to continue in their addictions while offering nothing to get them treated, which is the ultimate answer.
AND YES YOU CAN FORCE SOMEONE TO GET TREATMENT AND IT BE SUCCESSFUL.
If the program is 18-14 months and takes them from detox to employment the success rates are as high as 83%.
The fence is a bad idea for many reasons, but the most important one is that it would fail because they would go under or over it to get in. This is seen all over downtown where they have done the same whether it is wrought iron fencing, wooden, chain link, then have all been breached, torn apart, or cut with bolt cutters, repeatedly! They fix them and the do it again!
Deal with the problem, the addiction is the problem! Get them into ‘effective’ treatment programs for addiction and mental health. In the meantime, start enforcing the laws, utilizing the drug courts where possible and using the already available laws in place such as our city bylaw for loitering/vagrancy/graffiti/urinating/defecating/threatening which was passed over a year ago. Start enforcing the laws!
We are doing them no favours watching them slowly kill themselves over 1-5 years, with sores on their bodies and damage so bad they walk like 90 year old people. It is sadistic watching them do this to themselves and doing nothing to stop it. What humane society would do this? We treat cats and dogs better, and wildlife!
BC has proven after 20 years of harm reduction that is doesn’t work and part of the harm reduction policies is less police. It has failed and they continue to come up with excuses why it failed and push more failed policies, while people die, in record numbers!
Listening to the Connor Shaw story is only one of the many examples of crime which goes unreported in this city on a regular basis, partly because of the LPS and city policy to keep it from the people.
SSSHHHHHH, do tell anyone, then no one will know how bad it is! That appears to be the policy, along with trying to sell a misleading report by RENTOLA, saying how Lethbridge is one of the safest cities in Canada, while the Canadian Crime Index says otherwise.
The fact the Connor Shaw brought a flag that represents Colonialism to many and/or Freedom to another group is an act that ‘stirs the pot’ to a crisis that is already creating anger.
I know we are heading in the right direction with the provinces policies and Compassionate Intervention Act, which will take time to prove it is working, as well as the cities new policies, but a fence around Galt Gardens will change nothing. Deal with the problem! You would only push those people into another park or into the fronts and backs of downtown business. Until you deal with the issues you only push them from one area to another.
Get them into treatment, and those who are houseable into housing, keeping in mind that if you house an untreated addict, the changes of them fatally overdosing in their residence increase exponentially. Over 70% – 75% of fatal overdoses are where the addict lives!
The fence and the playground were bad ideas and no more money should be burned up revitalizing until this crisis is reduced. Drug addicts will always die, just as alcholics still die, but we can get it to the point where our streets, parks and neighbourhoods are safe, like they were 15 years ago.
We need to focus on treatment and law enforement, using drug courts! BC has shown us what NOT to do!
I do not agree with the fence or the playground. All the money spent here by the City should be used for drug addiction services, mental health services and housing for the homeless. It’s naive by any stretch of the imagination to think that the crisis we have in our city will disappear by changes to Galt Gardens. It’s time the City collaborate with the provincial government to bring in solutions to our City for these problems. This is long overdue.