Re: Trapped on Albert — May 1

My heart goes out to Deb Easson and Christine Carmody who live on Albert Street in Waterloo, where university students are causing problems.

To the students who resent being stuck with five $300 excessive noise tickets, I’d like to suggest a good start to their university education is learning that if they choose to break the rules, they pay the consequences.

As for student Jackie Dobson, “who didn’t know the rules until they were broken,” am I to assume, when living in her parents’ home she had parties with hundreds of guests who left vomit, broken glass and urine on the neighbours’ lawns, shouted all night, set off fireworks, built bonfires using wood from nearby fences, and tossed cable boxes through windows? Did her parents not mention this behaviour was wrong? Did her neighbours tolerate it?

To student John Bagby, I would like to say the money he has invested in his education that generates huge economic benefits for the community does not buy him the right to cause distress, sleeplessness, fear, anxiety and utter frustration to the people who are forced to live near you.

Here is a possible solution to Easson and Carmody’s dilemma. How about Waterloo Mayor Brenda Halloran and Waterloo regional police Chief Matt Torigian purchase and live in their homes. Let’s wait and see how long it takes before Torigian no longer feels “the last thing we want to do is quell a young student’s memories of university by not having them enjoy their university life.”

We’ll see how many sleepless nights and how much property damage Halloran tolerates before she admits more bylaw officers are needed and more policing needs to be done to stop this insanity.

Judy Pearce

Kitchener