Calgary is a great city to live in. But there’s always room for improvement. If I had to list just three things to make it an even better place to live, I would suggest the following.
First, what I notice in many neighbourhoods is a lack of interaction. Sure, you would know some of your neighbours because they go to the same school as you. But what about people of different age groups? Sometimes there are little kids running around the block and sometimes there are old people taking a stroll. Instead of starting with an activity that attempts to encompass the interests of everyone in the community, why not try to get to know them first? After all, how could you determine what activities a community should hold if the individuals in it don’t know much about each other? And getting to know people around you creates a stronger bond and a sense of belonging.
There are so many great people in Calgary, including our very own Youth Central volunteers. But Calgary would be an even better place if people were a little more courteous. Maybe instead of shoveling the snow from just your sidewalk, you could shovel the snow from your neighbours’ sidewalks as well. Or it could even be offering someone, older or disabled, on the bus or train your seat. You may be surprised to know that not everyone does this. You get the heart-warming feeling inside of knowing you’d done something kind for a stranger and they happily benefit from your help. Even if it may be as small as yelling “STOP!” on behalf of a quiet, helpless person who needs to get off the bus, it would be a great improvement nonetheless.
Finally, a definite way to improve Calgary is to hear from its inhabitants. Why not host a community meeting to discuss issues concerning certain areas of Calgary? If there is anyone, even one person, unhappy about the way things run, what good does it do if they don’t bring it up? Our city has so much to offer, and we should all take advantage of them, but there are always ways in which we can improve it. So give your ideas a voice. After all, ideas are where everything blooms from.
In short, what I’m getting across is that we need to be active and involved. Of course there are numerous people already doing so, but why not reach out to everyone and extend the involvement? Sometimes, it’s not enough to just vote and pay your bills. Calgary is a place of innovation, and a place always willing to adopt new ideas for improvement, continually making it a great place to be.
