A Yellowknife man is calling out City Hall's SA国际影视传媒渁nti-publicSA国际影视传媒� culture after he says he was unfairly banned from a recreational facility last fall.
With no running water at his Kam Lake home, lifelong resident Jerald Sibbeston would regularly visit the Fieldhouse, which has a SA国际影视传媒減ublic welcomeSA国际影视传媒� sign affixed to its front door, to use the washroom and shower.
This state of affairs persisted until Oct. 3, 2017.
SA国际影视传媒淎s I left the Fieldhouse [that] morning after using the SA国际影视传媒渙pen to the publicSA国际影视传媒� washrooms, like I do most mornings SA国际影视传媒� I was handed this libelous and deceitful paper full of lies,SA国际影视传媒� Sibbeston wrote in a Facebook post published on Oct. 3, of last year.
The paper in question was a letter dated Oct. 2, 2017 and signed by city facilities manager Dave Hurley. It notified Sibbeston he was barred from entering the building for three months. Citing a violation of the city's SA国际影视传媒減ublic parks and recreational facilitiesSA国际影视传媒� bylaw, the letter alleges Sibbeston verbally abused and threatened a Fieldhouse staff member on SA国际影视传媒淥ct. 26 of this yearSA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒� an erroneous date likely meant to read August, according to Sibbeston, who said that's when the incident occurred.
But Sibbeston has rejected what he calls a SA国际影视传媒渇abricatedSA国际影视传媒� version of events put forth by the city.
After using the Fieldhouse's second floor change room showers the day the alleged threats were made, Sibbeston said he walked downstairs, where a discussion between himself, a man he identified as the SA国际影视传媒渇acility managerSA国际影视传媒� and another staff member took place. At some point, talks turned to Sibbeston paying for the shower he had just taken, as all visitors are required to pay a fee to access the change room showers.
The upper level change room is situated steps away from the recreational area's entrance SA国际影视传媒� behind a SA国际影视传媒渇lex passSA国际影视传媒� card reader attached to the wall.
With no requirement to swipe before entering the change room SA国际影视传媒� and with the impression that the front door's SA国际影视传媒減ublic welcomeSA国际影视传媒漵ign applied to the entire building SA国际影视传媒� Sibbeston said he believed he was within his rights not to pay.
Jerarld Sibbeston is challenging the city to back up its claims that he threatened and verbally abused staff members at the Fieldhouse SA国际影视传媒� a claim that resulted in the longtime resident being banned from the facility for three months last fall.
SA国际影视传媒淚 asked if I could not pay. They refused. So I paid without making a scene SA国际影视传媒� I did all this calmly and respectfully,SA国际影视传媒� Sibbeston told Yellowknifer, rebuking the city's claims he had been verbally abusive.
SA国际影视传媒淣ever happened. Total lie. It's difficult for me to swallow because I'm just not that kind of a guy. I'm actually a pretty rational, calm individual,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
In an email to the Yellowknifer earlier this month, the city's communications manager Richard McIntosh addressed Sibbeston's ban in general terms, but stated the city takes violations of the by-law in question SA国际影视传媒渟eriously.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淧ursuant to the City's responsibility to provide a safe workplace SA国际影视传媒� individuals acting in a threatening manner or in a contravention of (the by-law) may be directed to leave a facility and shall not return until such time as directed,SA国际影视传媒� McIntosh wrote.
SA国际影视传媒淐onsequently, individuals behaving in a verbally abusive or threatening manner towards City employees may be banned from City facilities.SA国际影视传媒�
Calling the city's response a SA国际影视传媒渄oubling downSA国际影视传媒� on claims he's refuted, Sibbeston is now calling for the city to provide proof SA国际影视传媒� through footage recorded from the facility's CCTV cameras SA国际影视传媒� that he acted aggressively to staff.
SA国际影视传媒淚 stake my reputation on this. It never happened. I challenge the city to produce this video for the public,SA国际影视传媒� said Sibbeston.
But Sibbeston, isn't just calling on the city to release evidence of the alleged altercation SA国际影视传媒� he's calling into question the very meaning of SA国际影视传媒減ublicSA国际影视传媒� spaces in Yellowknife.
SA国际影视传媒淚've always interpreted it, as a member of the public, I'm allowed to come in and use the facilities. That's what I would view the public welcome sign as. You'd assume that means for the change room, as well,SA国际影视传媒� Sibbeston said.
During his conversation with Fieldhouse staff leading to his ban, Sibbeston said he inquired about the sign's meaning.
SA国际影视传媒淭hey said no, you're going to have to pay. Instead of finding out what the public welcome sign means they just banned me,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
The ban, Sibbeston said, is more about the apathy of public employees SA国际影视传媒� who don't want to clean up after him after he accesses the change room or washroom, he asserted SA国际影视传媒� rather than any threats and verbal abuse.
Sibbeston also takes exception to the recreational centre's layout, arguing that if the city was serious about enforcing fees for showers, they'd require guests to swipe their flex pass before entering the change room, not just before entering the upper recreational area.
SA国际影视传媒淚t almost feels like an afterthought, that they'd decided we can charge people for these showers. It just seems like they're trying to charge the public,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Currently, there are two signs fixed on the two upper level change rooms, which both read SA国际影视传媒渢rack users only.SA国际影视传媒�
Sibbeston maintains the signs are new and that they weren't present when the alleged incident took place.
A SA国际影视传媒減ublic welcomeSA国际影视传媒� sign, seen here, is fixed to the front entrance of the Fieldhouse. The sign's presence, Sibbeston says, leaves the impression the entire facility is open to the public. He says his ban is a indicative of an SA国际影视传媒渁nti-publicSA国际影视传媒� culture at City Hall.
Yellowknifer asked Fieldhouse staff how long the signs had been fixed to the change room doors, but were told to contact the city.
While Sibbeston wouldn't lable his experience a SA国际影视传媒渉uge deal,SA国际影视传媒� he did call it a symptom of a larger, underlying problem at City Hall.
SA国际影视传媒淚t is an extreme abuse of power. It's things like this that frustrate the little citizens like me. I've lived here my whole life and for the last 20 years, it's just been deteriorating.
Citing the city's SA国际影视传媒渃orporate environment,SA国际影视传媒� and the SA国际影视传媒渟oft corruptionSA国际影视传媒� that has followed,SA国际影视传媒� Sibbeston told Yellowknifer the ban could be the SA国际影视传媒渟traw that breaks the camel's backSA国际影视传媒� and could prompt him to run for council SA国际影视传媒� despite having the odds stacked against him.
SA国际影视传媒�(City Hall) needs to change. I won't say I'm the guy who can do it. But I'll yell loud about it.SA国际影视传媒�
