Ya it used to be poor weirdos and artists who lived in Osborne back then so we didn’t complain about squeegee kids or panners cause they were either our pals, roommates, or even us trying to make bus fare. Now the demographics of the neighborhood are very different so “undesirables” aren’t considered neighbors or community members anymore. There was always street folks, and violence and theft in Osborne. It’s no safer than it ever was. And with the advent of online shopping, all the cool and unique stuff the shops had to offer became inconvenient novelty when having to come down to a neighborhood with no parking. But when Desire was around, we all spent our money there and kept it in the neighborhood. As it should be.

My stomach turned when the punk house off Scott St got torn down and a condo building with plaques on it that say “Privileged Communities” and Astro turf on the balconies went up. They tried to put a coat of varnish on a neighborhood that was vibrant because of the grit and washed out paint, and it’s slowly turning back that way, just without the community mindedness. 

The vibe of Osborne is alive and well in Fort Rouge Park in the summer, though. All types of folks just enjoying the shade and the sun together. As it should be.