Letters: Saskatoon’s homeless need shelter first, then services

Article content

I would guess that a majority of the estimated 800 homeless people would be on the westside so it would make sense to focus on those neighbourhoods first. In addition to the latest announcement, the city should create safe sanctuaries so that people can stay warm, have washroom facilities and be safe.

Those basic services could be completed in the old Inland Steel property, the old bus barns, the basement of Pleasant Hill school, the vacant former Giant Tiger store and any other empty building without much effort. Maybe some citizens would also volunteer their heated garage for this.

Article content

Somebody sleeping on the street will see a cot in a warm safe place as an improvement. You do not need treatment-level facilities for the basics. Then you build off of that. Some of these places may only be utilized for one winter, but until there is something else it is a start.

Gary Crawford, Saskatoon

Editor’s note: Saskatoon Land says the Inland Steel building is currently zoned heavy industrial and  emergency residential shelters are not permitted in that district. There is also suspected soil contamination on the site.

Education standards dropping, basics ignored

With all the struggles that teachers have, I wonder what is happening with education standards? It’s bad enough that school systems no longer teach cursive.

Thankfully, some school systems are realizing that mistake and reinstating it, but it appears schools no longer enforce proper use of language, grammar and spelling.

I’m constantly dismayed by what I hear when in my grandson’s school. I shudder every time I hear students constantly using ground instead of floor. I don’t think I’ve heard a student in a long time use the word floor properly or even news personalities/TV reporters either!

Article content

Article content

When I mentioned this to an educator I was told teachers don’t time to worry about nuance. Seriously, you could have knocked me over with a feather. That remark, nuance, which in my opinion was an incorrect word usage, left me speechless, which doesn’t happen often.

Today, I watched my grandson print, not write, a report for school and I was disappointed to watch how he formed each letter. Another example, I guess, that teachers don’t have time to worry about silly things like that.

I remember the days of teachers, after stoking the pot-belly stove, drawing lines on the blackboard with a chalk holder that drew four lines.

The teacher would then write out the letters each day, which were reinforced with a series of printed letters arranged around the top of the blackboard, reinforcing how to form each letter. Where have the three Rs (reading, writing, arithmetic) gone?

John M. Thomson, Saskatoon

Hospital experience earns praise

I had to visit Saskatoon City Hospital last week. I don’t deny we need more health-care workers as there were a lot of people waiting. But my experience was incredible. Because I had somewhat of an urgent matter, I was immediately taken in, had a CT scan and blood work, etc.

Article content

Every health-care worker I had contact with was friendly, efficient and professional! Thank you to Dr. William Papenfus.

Judi Hassen, Saskatoon

Share your views

The StarPhoenix welcomes letters to the editor. Click here to find out what you need to know about how to write one in a way that will increase the odds it will be published. Send letters to letters@thestarphoenix.com.

The Saskatoon Star Phoenix has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.

With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark thestarphoenix.com and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.

Article content