If community chatter is to be believed we have a problem in South Delta.
We are asking bylaw officers to resolve petty problems with our neighbours instead of giving diplomacy a chance.
Would you call a bylaw officer to report toys scattered in a backyard, teens that are working on their cars in the driveway, or make a noise complaint about a child’s birthday party on a Saturday afternoon? Probably not.
People are reporting neighbours who wash their car on the grass, or a cat aggressively staring at them, even a five-year-old girl building a pretend road with bricks was reported for illegal construction.
People, get rid of your grumpy face and start talking instead of reporting.
Delta bylaw enforcement officers respond to complaints with a visit to the property in question, 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
That’s impressive, yet it appears many are frivolous and trivial.
If we dig deeper, we could conclude this trend of over reporting signals a suspicious community, with a fear of the ‘other’. Sadly, we don’t know our neighbours like we used too.
Choosing to report over talking suggests societies fear of confrontation. Not surprising as rhetoric in politics and on social media is extreme.
In an era of road rage and iphones, people are understandably fearful of repercussions for speaking their mind.
Some people could presume a complaint will turn into confrontation, so we acquiesce to the authorities.
Obviously, there are times when reporting becomes our civic duty, such as aggressive dogs, filthy construction sites, tree removals without permits, or abandoned homes with rat problems.
Good communication is the backbone of any successful relationship and should always be the pathway, even when someone’s dog poops in your yard.
Think before you report, and then ask yourself, can I work this out with my neighbour?
Ingrid Abbott is a freelance writer who has no complaints
