It would. If people could agree on what the fix is, and if there were options for youth prone to entering gangs. There have been a couple of programmes that seem to work, but the funding for them is iffy. If the various governments are really concerned about gang activities, they'd put more money towards things that work.

So sick people trashing the west flat.....always make it sound like it is a haven for gangs, drug dealers and [Content removed by administrator]. I believe the last gang murder was on the west hill in Kinsman Park...I dont remember Jamie Fiddler living in the west Flat when he got busted. I see just as much gang sign on the east flat and on the east hill......

There are ALOT of wonderful families that live there trying their very best to have lives comparable to you folks on the "hill' or 'crescent heights....

You want something to change then change yourself and your bigotry .....

Well youre just as guilty if you witness it and do nothing.... Crime stoppers even specifically states that they are looking for info related to gangs

i agree paborn! im on the west flat and we have had NO problems compared to when i was on the west hill!

Anyway, this issue isn't something that Prince Albert's Engineering department can fix, Try sending an E-mail or phoning the POLICE.

I agree with you wasteofbandwidth,lol. Prince Alberts Engineering department can't fix much.

I live in the west flat, and have had 0 problems here. sure we find about 3 needles a year but a friend of ours that lives on Jasper PL have needles up there too. its not only the west flat that there are gangs. We have Great neighbors, NO rentals on our block, we live close to Queen Mary so we do get kids walking back and forth to school, but have never had an issue with them. I love where I live, My husband has a great job at the Health Region, and pay 1/4 the taxes on our house that those in the sought after neighborhoods.

While we understand that this is a troubling issue for your community, comments containing crude, offensive and/or derogatory language are subject to moderation and/or removal from this post. Keeping the conversation respectful and focused on a fix for the issue is the best way for SeeClickFix to be used as a tool for positive change in Prince Albert.

If anyone has any questions, or would like additional information regarding our terms of service, please do not hesitate to let us know. You can always email us at contact (@) seeclickfix.com

Keep SeeClickFixin'!
Emma

I went down to the west flat...and I honestly was scared, I've never seen that many people just walking down back alleys staring at you. And the weather wasn't very nice, I didn't feel safe, and I felt each one of them had an eye on my car...some of them would even look inside my car as they walked by. And they hang out in groups. A relative lived on the west flat, and could give you names of people they saw picking up prostitutes....nice business owners we have here! Giving their business to the cocaine-addict prostitutes!

I live in the West Flat and yeah, a strange vehicle comes cruising down my back alley and I see it, you can bet I'm going to stare. *And* I'm going to get the plate number. We've had people from other areas of town come down and cause trouble then try to blame it on the WF residents.

And yes, just like any other area of this city or any other, our kids hang out in groups. Doesn't mean they're in a gang or are looking for a fight. Sometimes, it's just a bunch of kids going to the store or to school. They might even just be going to a friend's house. It's not the end of the world.

As for the comment about the weather, if you think the West Flat has anything to do with that, then there's no point in discussing the situation with you.

I lived in the West Flat for years. Actually had fewer troubles there than I now do in Midtown. There are some pockets in the WF that are really scary, but that's true of almost any area. Crack down on the dealers and the trickle down effect will benefit all parts of town, not just one.

BTW: you have to be on the lookout for needles EVERYWHERE!

Have you ever walked through Kinsmen Park at night? There are groups of young people everywhere. I have witnessed a young man being robbed of his jacket and shoes by a group. I called the police from my cell and saw the perps scatter when the police drove their cruiser into the park by PACI. The police may as well made a public address announcement they were coming and the group scattered. The police need to get out of their cars and walk through. Then have extra patrols flanking to catch the runners. Once they get the park cleaned out, police can move to the groups new hangout because gangs are a symptom of much bigger problems.

I also live on the west flat. I do live beside a few rental properties but have kept in close contact with the landlords. I am able to contact them day or night when there is a problem and it is resolved within an hour. I am a long time resident here and plan to continue on living where I am as it suits me very well.

Wish our midtown landlords were that responsible...

I have wondered that for a long time...

Black people have been oppressed for years, as have Natives. They experienced segregation, while Natives suffered attempted cultural genocide at residential schools. Black people face attitudes of indifference, ignorance and exclusion, not to mention racism. Ditto for Native people. I could go on but I think you can see the correlation here.

Its because they want to be gangsters...it has nothing to do with the past,lol. Most of the kids dressing and acting black probably don't even know their own history, never mind making up some weird excuse for them to try and justify it...and PULL UP YOUR PANTS!

All groups have been opressed in one way or another. Immigrants from Easter Europe were treated like garbage by the French and English. Children in Catholic schools were abused by priests. Everyone suffers as a result of the times they live in. The best we can do as a society is to get over it. Until then, we'll continue to be a people divided.

um yeah it does have connections to the past. If you have no sense of identity then your more likely to adopt other cultures. It doesn't suprise me that the native youth adopt the mannerisms of another people. African Americans have a similar story, they were beaten and denied basic human rights. I'm guessing your next arguement centers around parental supervision. I can't defend everyone but many of these kids come from broken homes. Alcoholism and drugs are unfortunately an epedemic way of life. You can't just tell them to "GET OVER IT" when theres no one to put anything into proper context.

Vlasic..Would you tell that to Jewish people? Native children have died at the hands of Residential School officials as have African American Slaves.

these kids have no education they grasp whatever is cool at the time there selfish no respect for eldors and we have to start teaching these kids as parents role modles etc, dont give up on them shine the light there way be a strong parrent and say NO to these kids dont buy them smokes or bose dont give them money make them wok for it. teach them about substance abuse and were it can lead too

We have to stop and look at the social dynamics of the Street Gangs. The majority of the gang members are looking for the Pseudo Family dynamics as most of the children who join at an early age are recruited into the gang lifestyle as the gang acts as a family. Most of the gang members are from families of broken homes, single families, high amounts abuse from alcohol/drug use, physical/sexual abuse seen on a daily basis.

What can we do to fix the gangs right now? Unfortunately most of the ones who are so deeply rooted into the lifestyle will be there as they know any other lifestyle. We have to start allowing the families to get help, most parents of the young impressionable (pre)/ teenagers have had no upbringing themselves so knowing how to care for a child is null. Unfortunately the thought process for many young women is to have children and hope for the best, that they are not in the criminal justice system at the age of 13. We have to have people who are willing to help young girls to make good choices. Choice to continue with school, choice to say no to drugs and alcohol, choice to say no to her new “thug” boyfriend who by most chances will leave her when she is pregnant to go to jail. For most this is the “norm” that has transpired for generations and only will be broke when the big picture is developed at an early age.
I do believe that the connection with Elders and the teachings that they slowly teach the young will filter down. It is a problem that has happened for many generations and will take many generations to repair. As I once heard from a Elder from Tsuu T’ina Nation in Alberta, the words still I remember, to this day. The Elder was raising 4 children for a Mother who was serving time in the Provincial Jail, the kids Dad was also serving time in the Federal System for Murder. “You have to know where you came from to know where you are going,” the old Elder told me of how the Elders taught the children the ways, how the Grandparents were so important. How respect for the earth, for your family and mainly yourself is the most important teachings that children need to know.
We are to blame the mistakes of our forefathers and their need for people to conform everybody to be the same, identical same as cookies cut from the same cookie cutter repeated over and over again. The problem with cookie, no matter how many times you use the cutter, mistakes happen and the cookies are sometimes damaged and misshaped and never the same.