IT STARTED... TO GET WORSE

On Sept. 27, 2008, 700 concerned citizens gathered on Third Ave. in
support of the "Let's get Started" rally. We were there to show
concern for downtown Prince George and its deteriorating condition.

The keynote speaker was former B.C. premier Mike Harcourt, who had
spent a good part of his working life dealing with urban-core problems.

Coincidentally, we were also in the run up to a municipal election. An
election that would see four new city councillors and a new mayor
elected. Three of those elected to council would a have vested,
working interest in the health of the downtown retail community.

Sept. 25 and 28, 2009, one year later, we read two Citizen editorials
about our deteriorating downtown. The editorials tell us aggressive
panhandlers are hassling shoppers and driving away legitimate retail
trade. Plus, city hall is considering a downtown one-stop shopping
site for those in serious need of social services. It would be a
consolidation of the needle exchange facility, the Native Health
Society and the Fire Pit, a drop-in centre for addicts.

Has anything changed since the "Let's get Started" rally? Well yes,
the situation is getting worse.

Have we learned anything in the last year? Not according to local
business people.

What's wrong with this picture?

According to those interviewed, everything.

Downtown is circling the drain and we have yet to see any real
direction from city hall.

So what should we have learned in the last year? Well, the answer is -
a lot.

First, I was struck by an interview Citizen reporter Bernice Trick had
with Bill Baker following the 2008 rally. On the needle exchange
program, Baker said, "I'm a native street person and I see a business
- - the Needle Exchange - catering to drug addicts. There's needles and
pipes around making it dangerous for children, and sharing of needles
and pipes." Baker noted that shoplifting and people doing drugs
happens right in front of the exchange.

On open drug dealing, Baker said, "The police are not holding them
accountable."

Second, on the way to looking something else up, I came across a
recent comment from Vancouver City councillor Andrea Reimer, who said
Vancouver has experienced a drop in aggressive panhandling and street
disorder. Reimer says the provision of homeless shelters may be the
reason for better-behaved streets, but I would also suggest the
provincial Safe Streets Act may have had a lot to do with cleaning up
the Vancouver street scene.

You may remember this act was introduced in 2004 with some controversy
as it dealt with aggressive panhandling and squeegee kids. Controversy
aside, it worked.

For the benefit of downtown business people who have had it with
aggressive panhandling, here are two of the operative sections.

"A person commits an offence if the person solicits in a manner that
would cause a reasonable person to be concerned for the solicited
person's safety or security, including threatening the person
solicited with physical harm, by word, gesture or other means."

The next sub-section contains the same offence provisions, but
includes the actions of (a) obstructing the path of the solicited
person; and (b) using abusive language.

According to the Act, aggressive panhandling is against the law.
According to editorials in The Citizen, not too many people -
including the local RCMP - know this.

When it comes to our downtown, there is no question city hall is
dealing with a difficult problem. But there are answers. Enforcing the
Safe Streets Act is one. The city can also enact its own panhandling
bylaw. This is not uncommon.

Planning for a social services facility is a good idea, but this
facility cannot be situated in the midst of a retail area, not if that
retail sector is to prosper. The two do not mix. Mike Harcourt made
that point last year, with a number of current city councilors in attendance.

For the most part, our downtown merchants are doing their best. They
keep their premises attractive, they continue to invest and they want
to provide good products and services to their customers.

But to date they've been ignored by city hall.

A year ago, I thought we saw a glimmer of hope. A sincere and genuine
interest in making our downtown a better place to live, work and do
business.

I should have paid more attention to the words of Bill
Baker.

On the plight of downtown, Bill concluded his Sept. 2008 interview
with Bernice Trick, saying, "It's not going to change."

Bill was right.