This Place is Really Starting to Piss Me Off

Don't get me wrong—I love living in this city. There are plenty of good reasons I choose to make it my home, but as I get older, wiser, and just a wee bit crankier, I find more and more things that need improving. Why do I have to carry my dog's crap for 20 minutes before I find a public garbage can? Why aren't the tennis courts at the Commons turned into skating rinks during the winter? Why aren't the Public Gardens open 12 months a year? Why do the snow plows clear my street when we get a light dusting of the white stuff (and go back and forth 3 or 4 times to make sure it's spotless) but are never seen when we get a real dump? Why do our schools shut down when there's the slightest chance of snow or cold temperatures? Why do they close at 2:30? Why does our city council spend months, if not years, debating cat licensing and parking in the Grand Parade, yet spends 5 minutes approving concerts by has-been acts on the Commons and walks away after the show to let the damage to the public space fester for a couple of years?

I know that no place is perfect once you actually live there (and start paying taxes), but I want my son to grow up in a city that can be much more than it is right now. And rather than let my frustration boil up inside, I'm using this as a release. Please feel free to join in and let me know how you think this city can become a better place.