COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER FOR CLEAN UP

The underlying problem at a drug-plagued Brampton social housing complex
wasn't the constant calls to Peel police - it was the lack of calls.

With a long-standing reputation as a drug trafficking area, not completely
deserved, some say, it would be expected police would be called to the
McHardy Crt. townhouse complex on a regular basis.

But fear and intimidation kept mouths and doors shut, according to
residents and officials, with little interaction among neighbours.

That is all starting to change now, after residents, Peel Living, Peel
police and the Boys and Girls Club joined forces to drive the few bad
apples from the area, and make anyone else with destructive and illegal
intentions feel unwelcome.

Residents are working to set up a Neighbourhood Watch program with the
Brampton Safe City Association, colourful gardens are growing where weeds
once ruled and the little ones are reclaiming the playground.

There's A Big Difference

"At first it seemed like they (criminals) did what they wanted to do here
and nobody could stop them," said Barb Medeiros, an eight-year resident.
"When I moved in I didn't think I would last the first year. Now, it's such
a difference. You don't hear beer bottles crashing at night. It's just a
different community, now. The community has pulled together."

Things started to turn around when Peel Living, run by the Region of Peel,
took over operation of the complex a year ago. Once run by the Ontario
government, the 98 units were in a state of disrepair, according to Peel
Living property manager Sue Hayley.

"It was pretty run down before we painted the doors and railings. We also
do a lot of in-suite upkeep," she said.

After taking an anonymous resident survey that not only detailed the drug
problem, but also, surprisingly, revealed the names of those involved, Peel
Living, in consultation with Peel police, moved in and started knocking
down barriers, both physical and psychological.

They tore down fences and removed bleachers that were serving as cover for
troublemakers.

"They had it looking like barracks," Hayley said. "People hid behind the
fences throwing things."

Peel Living painted doors that were peeling and dropped off soil and grass
seed to encourage residents to plant gardens, then held a garden contest,
rewarding the winners.

"Even a minor investment has given us big returns," Hayley said. "We
trucked in $400 worth of topsoil for the townhouse residents and asked
them, 'Who wants to plant a garden?' We now have some really beautiful
flowerbeds. A real sense of community and pride has sprung up among the
tenants."

"We studied what the problem was instead of focusing totally on the
offender," said Peel Const. Buddy Brown, with the 22 Division Crime
Reduction Unit. "Sometimes you can make some changes that make an area
unattractive to crime."

With that in mind, there were some evictions, but not a lot. Other problems
with tenants are being handled informally, with a warning that future
breaches would result in eviction, Brown said.

"It isn't about evicting people, it's about creating a quality of life for
people," he said.

The changes were focused more on creating a sense of pride of ownership in
the residents and a sense of belonging, sometimes a difficult task,
especially with rental units, he said.

"It's the presence of legitimate owners that will prevent crime," Brown
said. "Legitimate owners spend time outside and crime becomes no longer
socially acceptable."

A zero tolerance for crime has also been adopted and all say increased
security and police presence have made the area feel safer.

In the past, many thought nothing good would come of their complaints so
they stayed inside, kept their youngsters from playing in the playground
and worried their older children would be recruited into gangs or drugs.

In one year, Peel police received only one drug-related call for help from
the complex, according to Hayley.

"In a family townhouse situation, it doesn't take many bad tenants and
tenancies to start making people feel nobody cares," said Glen O'Brecht,
Peel Region's acting commissioner of housing. "People dealing,
distributing, blowing dope openly in the complex, that sends a very strong
message to everybody in the community. McHardy has had a bad reputation for
drugs for a long time, not all of it deserved. It's difficult to put it down.

"You get a few people that break the rules and if nothing happens, a lot of
good people with good intentions just give up," O'Brecht said. "I like to
think they are now coming out and getting involved."

Sal DeBilio was one of the most skeptical when Peel Living and the police
began suggesting changes. He was vocally opposed to the recommendations.

Now, he is one of their biggest supporters.

"We want to clean this area up against drugs and violence," DeBilio said.
"There has been a lot of change. There are less drugs now, it's kept clean,
a lot of police are coming in..."

DeBilio organized a community barbecue a couple of weeks ago to introduce
residents to the Neighbourhood Watch program and bring neighbours closer
together.

"This (the barbecue) is the real solution, here," O'Brecht said.

It hasn't changed overnight, and some say there is still work to be done,
but all agree they see a difference.

"We had a lot of problems in our playground at night, teenagers shouting
and waking you up," Medeiros said. "I don't think they're putting up with
the nonsense any more. There's more follow-up on complaints. I think people
in the neighbourhood are more aware that they are being watched."

"We're hoping to get the word out there that this is not the place to do
illegal activities," Hayley said.

She said the results are showing.

Complaints to the security company used to come in at an average of three a
night. Recently, there were only two reports in three weeks.

Resident Kelly Baker said it is taking time for attitudes to change.

"The residents are used to the way it used to be," she said. "It's taking
time to gain trust with Peel Living and with each other."

"Everything takes time," agreed Norma Cleverdon. "There has been a big
improvement. It's a little safer now. People are more open. They're not
afraid to walk down the street and say 'hello'."

Some of the fear is gone, just as some of the troublemakers are gone, too,
but there is still more to be done, tenants and officials agree.

"It's a combined effort," Brown said. "We are going to continue to work
with them, too. Peel Living is very committed to improving the quality of
life there and we are, too."