THE STREETS A HARD LIFE IN ABBY

FOLLOWUP: Six months after the Times first examined the problems downtown,
things aren't much better

Anna (not her real name) has been working the streets of Abbotsford for the
last four years. Every morning she's up at 4:30 a.m., gets dressed and
starts her job as a prostitute by five in the morning.

"A lot of guys come by that early," she said. "Just before they go to work.
I've probably had 10 guys by six in the morning. You'd be surprised how
many clients the girls get at that time."

Jackie Andrew and her son have called downtown Abbotsford home for eight
years. She visits the drop-in centre at the Salvation Army on Cyril Street
for a cup of coffee and a meal that costs one dollar. She is not the only
one who depends on the Care and Share Centre for assistance. Many of
Abbotsford's poorest can be found there.

"There aren't many places for people who are down and out," said Andrew. "I
know people who are living in the bush and in homes that are abandoned.
It's too bad and it's going to get worse." These are just two of the many
people that are struggling to survive in downtown Abbotsford.

Andrea Voth, a social worker at the Care and Share Centre, has dealt with
Abbotsford's homeless, prostitutes and drug addicts for the last four years.

"We get people from all walks of life," said Voth. "A lot of these people
have multi-barriers like drug addiction and mental illness like bipolar
disorder or schizophrenia."

Demolishing the rundown apartments in the area and preventing businesses
such as pawn shops and cheque-cashing stores will apparently be part of the
plan to "clean up Abbotsford." However, some feel the problems that exist
downtown are mainly from doing too little, too late.

"The biggest problem is trying to catch up," said community activist
Uultsje DeJong. "The city should have done something 10 years ago."

For women like Anna, the decision to work the streets is mainly due to drug
addiction. Anna has been a heroin addict for the last 12 years and says
that the money she makes as a prostitute barely supports her habit.

"I have lots of things to pay for so I have to work long hours," she said.

Fred Jackson, manager of the Care and Share, has been a social worker for
the last 24 years. He says the satisfaction he gets when someone's life is
changed makes the job worthwhile.

"I've seen many people rehabilitated and reunited with their families,"
said Jackson. "Alcoholism and drugs have eaten away at so many jobs and lives."

Bill C-7 may give downtown Abbotsford the chance to clean up. This will be
directed at the downtown area, known as "old Abbotsford."

"There needs to be some changes throughout the whole city, not just
downtown," said Andrew. "They are trying to run out these people on this
side of the tracks."

But is sweeping the dirt under the carpet the answer? Many don't know who
to blame, whether it's the city, or the people on the streets.

"The city needs to look at what kind of framework they will put into
place," said DeJong.

"It's everywhere, not just downtown. We have 13- and 14 year-old girls out
there."

"If they start then I will probably have to either move to another part of
town or leave Abbotsford completely," said Anna. "That's just the way it's
going to be."

NEXT: We'll look at what bylaws are - or are not - in place to help
communities battle the decay going on in their neighbourhoods.