[RP TownTalk] A view from the Ravenswood nest

[Don Lynch]

Gone are days.

Riverdale Park is one of the country's oldest railroad communities, established in 1887. It was incorporated in 1920. Dr. S. M. McMillan was elected as the first Mayor, his house is across from Mable Munch Park.

There was a time when council members were elected by the various wards within this community with the intent to represent the collective opinion of the people from their respective wards.

When issues concerning the town came up, the council members would inform and discuss these issues with the people within their wards and then report to the town council the findings of these discussions.

That was then and where are we today?

>From issues such as the Purple Line, art murals to 4+ story apartment buildings being approved within the historic district of Riverdale Park, are being discussed amongst the council members without any discussion amongst the wards in this town.

No local ward meetings, discussions, comments or opinions requested.

Just six individuals and a Mayor, making it seven individuals, acting independently of the rest of the town, making decisions and reporting the results weeks later in a Town Crier, with little additional information to go along with the decision making process.

Is this the status quo for Riverdale Park?

Will any council member begin to take stock in what it means to represent the people of their ward by keeping them informed with issues that directly affect them?

Will the mayor make sure that the council members communicate the important issues to the wards and demand a collective opinion from each ward?

Will we ever get back to a town where everyone feels their interests have been heard and weighed against the majority?

If not, as I say, gone are the days.


Don