My name is Bremen. I am nine-years-old and in grade four at St. Michael’s School. My Nana is helping me write this letter.
Often we students must walk through the 5th street tunnel in East Trail in order to attend Mass or in the spring of each year, we go swimming. The problem is that the walls of the tunnel are covered with bad pictures and lots of ugly swear words. The first time I walked through the tunnel when I was in grade two, I was shocked. Now I just keep my head down and look at my shoes when I walk or I stare straight ahead and try to ignore the fact that they are there.
At St. Michael’s we are taught to believe in God. I am not Catholic, but I believe in God and I am happy that we get to go to Mass. St. Michael’s teaches myself and the other students to love and appreciate God. How do you think it makes us feel when we are on our way to worship God, only to be exposed to such terrible things? What about the younger children in our school, like when I was in grade two and attended St. Michael’s for the first time and saw those bad pictures and words? It is not fair that we children should have to put up with the vandalism (my nana’s word) of much older people, teenagers and perhaps even adults. We as students of St. Michael’s have the right to walk through the tunnel and not be afraid to look up. It makes me sad that I, like the rest of the children who belong to St. Michael’s, must hide our eyes in shame.
I am hoping that this letter will reach the City of Trail workers and that they will repaint the walls of the tunnel and my Nana thinks the City should install a camera at each end to try to catch whoever is doing these crimes. These are crimes and should be taken seriously. We students of St. Michael’s, and all children who belong to our community need to feel safe.
The only other way we can avoid those ugly pictures and words is to cross the highway above instead.
But there are safety issues concerning traffic.
We are the children who belong to the community of Trail. Please help us to remain safe and enjoy our community. After all are we not becoming widely known as one of the top “Communities in Bloom?”
My Nana says we need to bloom not only where people can see us but also in places that are not seen and used by our community members. It’s not all about gardens.
What if we took those who come to see “Trail in Bloom” to view the walls of the 5th street tunnel. Are we not as important as these strangers? Come on Trail, let’s bloom in the tunnels as well. Thank you.
Bremen Sims
Trail