 Media Credit: Niki Hyde Residents, police and McGill representatives discuss the possibility of increasing police presence in the Ghetto. [Click to enlarge]
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In a meeting last Wednesday at Église Notre-Dame, 70 permanent residents of the Milton-Parc Community came together with student and administrative representatives from McGill and the Montreal police, to vent their frustrations surrounding off-campus student behaviour. Complaints revolved around the conduct of students at 3 a.m. as they return from a night out on the town.
Many of these residents have lived and shared this neighbourhood for several decades with short-term student renters. For them, September to April in the Ghetto means loud parties, higher incidents of vandalism and yelling students on the sidewalks. The problem is exacerbated during events such as Frosh and Carnival when noise becomes an all-day issue. Many find that it's become worse in recent years.
Dean of Students Jane Everett admitted that part of the problem was that there is a high turnover and constant flow of new students moving into the area. Many may not immediately appreciate the community that already exists there.
The Students' Society is stepping up to address this issue by creating a neighbourhood guide that will be distributed to all first-year students in residence who are preparing to move out next fall. The guide includes community services in the area and ways students can get involved.
"If we can get that message out [about community], that might be a way to change student's actions," said SSMU Vice-President External Max Silverman at the meeting.
Janice Johnson, McGill's Residence Life director, also felt that education was the best way to change actions.
"We really need to put the emphasis on that they're living in a community that's not directly the McGill community on campus" she said. "The message of respect and community is something that the Student Code of Behaviour drives at, though has no measure to enforce off-campus."
2008 Woodie Awards
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