HOOKERS, ADDICTS PLAGUE PARKING LOT

Residents of a Strathcona neighbourhood are frustrated by the failure of
police, health and city officials to fence off a two-tiered parking lot
near their homes that's become a night-time hangout for prostitutes, drug
users and dealers.

The small, secluded parking lot is located behind the Strathcona Community
Mental Health clinic at the corner of Cordova Street and Heatley Avenue.

Joe Chaput, who lives with his girlfriend in a house just west of the
clinic, says he's fed up with the lack of response to his complaints about
the area. Over the past year, he's e-mailed the clinic's operators, the
Strathcona Community Policing Office, the mayor, councillors and even the
Neighbourhood Integrated Service Team, which is supposed to help
communities solve such issues-all to no avail.

"They promote community involvement and block watch-that's great, but it
hasn't solved the problem. If there's illegal activity, it should be
stopped," said Chaput, who added police often drive by without
investigating what's going on in the lot. "You can't drive by and ignore it
when you see it."

Chaput said he's become a spokesman of sorts on his street because many of
the residents don't speak English or are uncomfortable dealing with
authorities. Despite his efforts, he believes the problem is getting worse,
especially during the summer months when the lot becomes "a hotbed of
activity."

Chaput maintains the problem wouldn't be tolerated by officials in
neighbourhoods outside the East Side, and argues fencing and surveillance
cameras could be part of the solution.

His neighbour Jason McLean is also bothered by the issue. "But it's like a
lot of things in the East Side-no one seems to show a lot of concern. They
let things go," he said. Like Chaput, McLean is convinced a security fence
would go far in reducing the parking lot's appeal to drug users and
prostitutes. "The cost is there, but I'm sure you could get people in the
neighbourhood to help install it. It would be a starting point."

Viviana Zanocco, spokeswoman for the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority,
said the clinic has considered fencing the area, but that likely wouldn't
be effective, given its two-storey layout. "We've tried a lot of things
except for fencing it off, which is an impossibility. If it was a standard
square, I'm sure we would gate it off-we want to be good neighbours."

Zanocco said the clinic, which leases the parking lot, has attempted to
reduce the amount of unsavory activity that occurs on the lot after it
closes. Flood lights have been added and a security guard patrols the area
periodically. "We haven't fielded a lot of complaints but it's been a
problem for 15 or 20 years, since [the clinic's] been there. It's become a
small but persistent problem. I don't know what is pushing the prostitutes
out to that area but something is."

Chaput, however, said he's only spotted security around the lot during
daytime hours to protect clients and staff. Once the clinic's doors close,
he said, no one cares about what happens.

Sarah Bloor, spokeswoman for the Vancouver police, said officers regularly
patrol alleys and lots in the neighbourhood. "When you travel the lanes,
you find people there constantly."