Just moving problems around the city is no solution, according to Penticton’s chief administrative officer.
“You are chasing people around, I don’t see the results,” said Weeber, delivering a report to city council on the work done over the summer with problem behaviours in downtown Penticton.
Those problems range from homelessness to open drug abuse on city streets and vandalism, including public washrooms.
“We’ve picked up $20,000 worth of needles. That’s how much it cost us,” said Weeber, presenting a list of charges that included $57,600 damage to washrooms, and $25,000 to deal with the notorious problem property at 377 Winnipeg St.
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“$352,000 we spent dealing with problems, running around in circles,” said Weeber.
The city formed a working group earlier this year, bringing together the city’s bylaw department, the RCMP, the Downtown Penticton Association and others to work on addressing issues.
“We’ve been working as a group to address as many things as possible,” said Weeber, adding that the group is going to continue working over the winter.
“This has been the worst season, 2018, for issues that affect us as a business,” said Ashlie Atkinson, adding that they have 240 students, some as young as age eight, coming and going from the Balance School of Performing Arts, across from the Soupateria. “Something needs to be done.”
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Atkinson and her partner, Chip Saft, have had people using drugs outside, even some coming in and sleeping on couches. There was even one man in the washroom, asking children if they had a cell phone he could use.
“If the homeless man in our lobby is deterring families coming to our business, then we are in trouble,” said Atkinson.
Weeber credits the city’s bylaw enforcement with keeping people from loitering, but said that isn’t a solution and not always effective.
“As much success as we had moving people around, some people hunkered down and they did what they wanted,” said Weeber, promising to work with the task force on increased enforcement and consequences.
“It has been a really difficult summer,” said Weeber. “We did chase people around in circles all summer and we don’t intend to do that next year.”
One problem, he explained, was lighting, with a number of dark areas downtown, where the city has installed extra lighting.
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“That actually helped quite a bit. We saw a lot of activities in those areas either go down or be reduced to zero,” said Weeber, adding that steps have also been taken to prevent people from sitting in one place, “for days on end.”
That includes installing railings in popular sitting areas, and clearing brush and foliage that created hidden areas.
“Council has given us all the resources they can, but these aren’t problems that can’t be solved,” said Weeber, talking about mental health, drug and homelessness issues. “We’re frustrated, you’re frustrated.”
Lynn Allin, executive director of the DPA, said the feedback she is getting is that their membership is frustrated with reports that seem to downplay the issues they are dealing with, like open drug use and theft.
“Many members are feeling that things are not getting better,” said Allin. “Business owners have exceeded their capacity for understanding why we are still in this situation.”
Weeber said these are all very real issues, and they are not saying they are finding solutions.
“We are doing everything we can to manage it,” said Weeber. “How do you deal with this? Where do you send these people?
“Everything that worked, we are going to enhance. What didn’t work, we are going to try to make better.”
Steve Kidd
Senior reporter, Penticton Western News
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