The active citizen we all need to be

I have a friend who makes me feel lazy. His name is Robert Dickieson, but around here I just call him the active citizen. Robert is the kind of person […]

I have a friend who makes me feel lazy. His name is Robert Dickieson, but around here I just call him the active citizen. Robert is the kind of person who actually reads city reports, writes letters to council, and organizes petitions to make his neighbourhood safer. You know, the stuff most of us say someone should do, until we are too tired or busy or cynical to bother.

When I first moved into the neighbourhood, Robert dropped off fresh German bread and salt at my home to welcome me. That is just the kind of person he is. You might see him biking around, stopping to chat, riding the streets he is trying to make safer for everyone.

His latest effort is about London Road, where hundreds of kids still walk to school every day. It is one of the last 100 percent walking schools in the region. But the road they cross is built for cars, not children. Wide lanes encourage speeding. There are no refuge islands, no traffic calming. And because the City and the County both technically share responsibility, what happens far too often is that no one takes responsibility. It is easier to argue over jurisdiction than to fix a school crossing where kids are put in danger every day.

When I was on council, Robert was constantly sending well-researched, thoughtful pieces trying desperately to educate a very stubborn council. It is still stubborn today. He is not loud about it, not hostile, but steady and clear. The kind of voice you wish people in power would actually listen to.

So Robert did what he always does. He cut through the excuses and asked for simple, practical changes. Not in five years, not during the next budget cycle, but right now. Temporary safety measures that would protect kids today. And honestly, it is embarrassing that it takes one citizen organizing petitions and writing letters to make the city pay attention. Safety should be a basic priority, not something you have to beg for.

Other places do this better. In Finland, new street designs are not approved until engineers walk and bike them with local residents, testing how they feel for actual people, not just cars. Imagine if Sarnia’s decision-makers had to cross London Road at school time, hand in hand with a group of ten-year-olds, before signing off on another car-centric plan.

The truth is, most neighbourhoods in this city do not have a Robert. And that is why these problems stick around. So if you are tired of waiting for someone else to fix things, maybe it is time to step up. Start by reading what council is deciding. Write a letter. Ask a question. Pay attention. And when you see someone like Robert out there taking the lead, back them up.

The city is not going to change unless we do. Every neighbourhood needs an active citizen. Why not be the one in yours?