I also love living in Rupert but I beg to disagree that the only issue with Prince Rupert is people who complain all the time. I’d suggest it’s people that complain and yet do nothing to improve our community. The tendency here seems to vote then sit back and then give free rein to successive city councils who have failed to come to grips with the social and economic issues that face Rupert.
Looking under the rankings in that study shows the following controllable areas where Rupert seems to have fared poorly on the overall rankings;
Prince Rupert Median of all
Unemployment Rate 22 8
Low Crime Rate 26,398 7,900
Low Violent Crime Rate 5,904 1,368
Crime Severity Index 214 80
Doctors per 1,000 1.8 2.1
Health Professionals 4.5 5.9
Culture 1.6 2.2
While provincial income and sales taxes were factored into the study, municipal taxes were not. Had municipal taxes been factored in, I strongly suspect this would have droppped our ranking to the bottom.
On culture, is it true that the Tom Rooney Playhouse is closing because they lost access to gaming grants?
Amen to your above, our successive councils over the years never seem to see the bigger picture other than the next luncheon with the port it seems.
No kidding on the taxes I think that we were put on notice by some Provincial organization last year were we not over our extremely high rate here.
You are right however they have failed to come to grips with the storm around them and seemingly have no plan to make anything better in the short or long term.
I would love to see all of you, with your great ideas on how to make Prince Rupert a better place, join a community organization of your choice, and DO something. I don’t care what. Maintain a planter. Come out to the Civic Pride events and pick up two bags of garbage in your neighbourhood. Organize that gilnetter demonstration out in the harbour - I love that idea!!
Peeps, we need to take some ownership!!! There’s no magic fairy that is going to make things better here - our city council seems crippled by the screwed-up budget and Watson Island. so there’s no point in waiting for them. Do you know how many service organizations have been limping along on the same five or ten volunteers and members for years now? Who knows what would happen if more people gave just a few hours of time every month to make their community a better place?
I know some smart-ass is going to make a comment about the “stairs to nowhere” but if people have ideas, then SHARE THEM with a group or an organization that can implement them. There’s so much potential here, the possibilites are endless and exciting. It’s going to take some effort though, some participation and some time. The sooner we all get started, the better.
Darcy - Feel free to take a look at the survey of municipal tax rates in BC at the following link. civicinfo.bc.ca/81_ver2.asp
I think that the local politicians will occassionaly try to trot out some excuse for the high tax rates. Personally, every time I pull up the surveys on this site whether it’s our comparative tax rates, spending or the number of employees that the city has, it never looks good.
Rather than ** bitch ** and complain about the state of our city and how our politicians work, why not run for council and try to make a difference. A lot of you seem to have all the answers!
BackAtIt, those you speak of, they have property elsewhere too (Lakelse Lake, Smithers area etc), so maybe they are retiring and due to very little choices of residence for seniors and services, moving is probably the best choice for them.
And then some will be adding to existing buildings like the proposal that was passed in council (Sheila had to excuse herself, conflict of interest). They have choices and good for them, wish them well. The city has been good to them.
This is exactly the idea behind the survey (the Money Sense rating), and that is: would people want to stay in Rupert or come to Rupert knowing that ‘amenities’ are not what they should be.
There are many others and perhaps some of HTMF members did run for office to offer a change in direction, and yet a select 40% of sheeps who bothered to go out voted for some of the same useless idiots back into the chamber in almost every election. This is where people find it hopeless to run against the incumbents, or even bothered to go out to the polls.
Also, you need loaded amount of time, money, support, and energy to spread your propaganda that others might or might not even care about if you want to run for city hall. Most of us don’t have these kind of things and motivation unfortunately.
BTW, I endorse Ajaye to run for council, and hope to god that his magical rose coloured glasses will save the town from a brink of misery.
Although I do not share AJAYE’s exuberance to endorse Prince Rupert as the best place in the world, at this point in my life there is no place I would rather be. I’ve tried north of here and it’s too cold and too much snow and south is just too darn expensive or too darn hot for me. Here, I like the people, I like the town, and I like the life I have created for myself and as long as I can stay employed here is where I will continue to call home.
I agree that anyone waiting for our elected leaders to save us is smoking something a little funny, having said that I don’t think they deserve all of the negative remarks that they receive. They have been handed the reigns of a runaway chuckwagon and no matter what they do they might have to admit defeat and jump clear to save themselves and hope the next team can get control.
I do have to back guitar girl 100% though, get off the couch and pitch in if you want our town to be a better place. I have been, and in some instances still am, involved volunteering with Coast Guard aux, KISL, coaching youth soccer, Olympic torch relay, Children’s festival, and anything else I can get involved in with whatever time is left over in the day. But there are never enough volunteers and you always see the same old faces again and again. Help out, the people will thank you, the community will thank you, and most importantly the kids will thank you.
I agree with Guitargirl also regarding involvement in our community but it is not fair to intimate that those who are “whining and complaining” are not involved! Many of us are involved in many facets of this town and that being said, that is why some of us , I would assume, are able to see the problems in a more objective manner. You just have to look around and if you can honestly say that this is the future that you wish on your children, then so be it. Be happy and carry on but some parents I have spoken with want more for their children, opportunities and education that they will never receive in Prince Rupert and to that end I think most of us must agree.
Opportunities and education…children. My kids are receiving an education that is on par with any other community in the province.
As far as opportunities go, and I’m assuming you mean extra curricular activities, there is a wealth of programs in Prince Rupert geared toward school aged kids.
There’s a thread for ya’: Compile a list of all the legitimate programs, clubs, groups and teams available for kids aged 6 to 16. ( There is more for even younger kids)
I wonder what the ratio is of locals vs “homecomers” for the party? I mean, if it sells out because 1200 locals want to go on a bender that weekend, well then that seems like a pretty average weekend in Rupert to me. Maybe even a slow weekend.
Also they do not tell you the Medicine hat in winter makes you want to slit you wrist’s, -40 wind howling from the west. Even in the summer the dust is crazy as hell. Rupert all the way.
I love the rain myself good for the skin 