NORTH SHORE BATTLES CRIME

North Shore residents under siege by addicts, prostitutes and vandals
said Thursday attempts to clean up their neighbourhood have yet to put
an end to the problem.

Since a community meeting on July 21, efforts have been made to
improve conditions at Wilson House, a heritage home that was moved
onto a Tranquille Road park last fall.

At the meeting, residents said that once the 90-year-old structure was
brought in it blocked public view of the park and illegal activity
increased.

In the past month, city employees have taken measures to correct the
problem.

"A lot has been going on there the last little while," said Mayor Mel
Rothenburger. "We've removed shrubs that impaired the public's view of
the park and the building has been secured and locked up."

Crews have been working in the area, raking leaves and removing
weeds.

Ed Verdon, who lives in an apartment next to Wilson House, said the
city's efforts haven't had much of an impact.

"There was a party out there (Wednesday) night," he said. "They were a
group of teens or in their early 20s."

Even with the lack of shrubs, the lighting is so dim that it's
difficult to see anyone in the park at night, he said.

"They don't like brightly lit areas, they like the dark.

"The police used to be able to drive in and shine their lights into
the park. They can't do that with the house there."

The RCMP has expanded bike and car patrols in the area of Stratford
Manor on Leigh Road in response to an increase in drug and sex trade
activity.

"They put up roadblocks on both ends of Leigh Road and checked between
10 to 30 vehicles and more than 30 people each night," said Ray
Jolicoeur, chairman of the Kamloops Social Planning Committee, one of
the groups that hosted the meeting.

The increased police presence has resulted in several arrests and drug
seizures, he said.

Peter Friedel, co-owner of A-1 Auto Repairs on Leigh Road, said there
has been a strong police presence in the neighbourhood since he
started his business eight years ago.

"The cops have been there four or five times a day," he said. "They've
been monitoring the area quite a bit."

The constant police presence has reduced the number of needles that
Friedel has had to remove from the area around his store.

"I used to pick up two to three needles a day. There's not as many
lying around now."

Bylaw officers have seized two dogs -- a pitbull terrier and Doberman
pinscher -- from the hotel that were causing concern for residents.

"I phoned about the dogs quite a few times. They didn't have any tags
and were always roaming around unleashed."

He said the dogs were taken once, returned to the owner and then
seized a second time and destroyed.