Unnatural Naturalization
July 12, 2023
In a development that will probably come as little surprise to most readers, city council and the man who occupies the office of mayor have dreamed up a new pet project to force taxpayers to fund. Because these ivory-tower socialists always know better how to spend your hard-earned money than you do. How dare you suggest otherwise.
Scene from a recent St. Catharines council meeting.
This one involves the naturalization of cul-de-sacs. According to the city, staff take care of 17 of the 294 cul-de-sacs measuring over 400 m2. The rest are maintained by residents. The city is exploring the possibility of a naturalization program, with the aim of bringing them back to a more natural state by reintroducing native trees, shrubs, grasses, pollinators and flowers specific to the area.
And they claim to be seeking feedback from residents.
Their community strategy and policy coordinator, their manager of business planning and strategic services and their manager of parks, cemeteries, forestry and horticulture are listening, they say. But the fact that such people are on the payroll is no greater indicator that the politicians aren’t listening. Seriously, what does any city need a community strategy and policy coordinator for? Or a manager of business planning and strategic services?
Then again, someone needs to maintain a precise count of the number of cul-de-sacs within the city. And measure them too. They probably also count the number of stop signs along with the number of dotted lines on roadways. These days, they’re probably also keeping tabs on the number of turds flowing through the half-million-dollar toilet downtown. Along with the length and weight of them. City taxpayers apparently need this information at their fingertips. Because otherwise, well, um, . . . I’m not sure. The city would just wither and die. Life as we know it would surely come to an end. Or something. So stop griping about tax increases. Vital services come at a cost.
We know they’ll deny it, but the powers that be want feedback from free thinkers like me like they want a free trip to North Korea. But I gave it to them anyway.
I said I was outraged and that our politicians must be laying awake at night dreaming of ways to flush our money down the toilet. I added that this is the kind of irresponsible municipal government you get when only 25% of the people care enough to vote.
Sadly, it’s that voter apathy that the Dawn Dodges and Mat Siscoes of the world clearly count on to push their boutique projects down the throats of taxpayers their subjects. Then brag about it in their election brochures. Look at all that we’re doing for you, they’ll say. And the gullible public, at least those who care enough to vote, buys it and votes them back in.
It’s a vicious cycle. But it can be broken.
All you have to do is give a shit.
It’s the only way to make silly projects like cul-de-sac naturalization a joke again.
Grow vegetables, not government.
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