MAYOR SAYS TAKE CARS AWAY FROM JOHNS

Abbotsford Mayor George Ferguson wants to confiscate the vehicles of johns
caught buying sex.

"They enacted that (legislation) in Saskatchewan last year and it's
working," he said Thursday.

Ferguson said he'll soon meet with B.C. Attorney General Rich Coleman to
discuss creating similar legislation in B.C.

Such a law may bring some relief to communities like Abbotsford and Mission
that are being plagued by sexual solicitation in the streets and the
associated drug trafficking.

That would be welcome news in local neighbourhoods.

Some Clearbrook families won't allow their children to play in Grant Park
during the day and are afraid to walk their dogs in the evening because of
the unsavoury people haunting their neighborhoods.

William Derksen, who lives in the area, told council members Monday night
his family neighbourhood has to deal with prostitutes, drug traffickers and
their customers.

"Cars speed up and down our street from noon to 3 a.m. We've had 2 children
hit as a result. We've had cars shot due to turf wars between dealers. The
entire neighbourhood has slowly been infected with a cancer" in the past 3
years and is getting worse, he said.

He suggested speed bumps and closing the park gate earlier would deter
cruisers from entering the park looking for drugs and prostitutes.

Derksen, speaking at a public hearing portion of Monday night's council
meeting, said his frustrated neighbours also want to see bylaw enforcement
prioritized.

His issues were underlined by John and Cheryl Sarkozy from Pinevew Avenue,
who presented council with 1,389 signatures of residents and business
owners from the Clearbrook Road area.

The residents say the city has been slow to deal with an unsightly house on
Pineview, which they also claim is the site of sex trade and illegal drug
activity.

The petition asks the city to enforce the unsightly premises bylaw, for
which there is a fine of $100 a day, and the illegal secondary suite bylaw
which carries a fine of $200 a day.

A second part of the petition calls for increased financial support to
allow for more effective policing across the city.

Another group of residents from north McCallum Road say they have nightly
patrols to deter criminal activity which they say stems from an abandoned
house now used by squatters.

Sister Matthew Peter, speaking for Pineview group, said she and others are
ready to help, but said city council has to have the will to do something.

"Complaints keep coming in but the city does nothing about it. The children
can't play in the park. Whatever you want me to do, I'm at your disposal,
but it has to be something immediate," she said.

Acting mayor Ed Fast said council members had earlier that day agreed to
hold a community forum some time in the next several weeks to which
residents could bring their ideas to deal with the growing street crime.

Ferguson agreed Thursday his council will have to beef up bylaw
enforcement, perhaps by hiring more bylaw officers and increasing outdated
fines. He expects the issue to be in front of council in three weeks.

"We're going to have to do more, but we still have to go through a process
[with landlords], with warnings and registered letters," he said.