SHUFFLING THE DECK

Mission and Abbotsford face similar problems and are approaching a possible
solution form the same side. The practicality of that plan is yet to be
determined.

When it comes to cleaning up the downtown, Mission is a little further
along in the process than Abbotsford. Officials there held a public meeting
this week to get feedback on a proposed bylaw that would remove or prohibit
certain 'undesirable' businesses from the core.

The plan, apparently, is to hope all related and unrelated dregs of society
tag along when they pull up stakes. Hence, they will make the downtown
pristine and move the seamy side of life pleasantly out of view.

The opposition that came in Mission centred on issues such as moralizing
and discrimination and the threat of legal challenges were bandied about.

There are more legitimate concerns about how such a bylaw may limit service
organizations from helping out those who need their help.

The debate has already spilled over into Abbotsford, even though civic
officials here have not yet come to the stage of getting public feedback on
a bylaw. However, it's clear their proposed rules would closely resemble
those being proposed north of the river.

The complaints will be the same.

But the desired effect is also the same: to move the problem from here to
there.

The business communities in each municipality obviously have an interest in
the results, although the respective councils hide behind such warm and
fuzzy notions as making the downtowns acceptable for families once again.

It is pretty clear, however, that it would require more than chasing away
the hookers, drug dealers, pawn brokers and cheque-cashing stores to get
anyone interested in spending time downtown in either city.

Such plans, to an extent, smell suspiciously like scapegoating - doing
something for the sake of looking like you are doing something. It's
unlikely - especially in Abbotsford - that the type of business in the core
is responsible for the decay.

Old ideas are unlikely to be the saviour of a neighbourhood suffering from
such a persistent problem.