Teens and malls go hand in hand. In downtown Yellowknife, young people are starting to be a concern
Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Apr 11/01) - Teen-aged "truants" are hurting business and harassing customers say owners and managers of downtown mall stores.
They're so fed up with the number of teens in the malls during school hours that they're lobbying the municipal and territorial governments to take action.
Larry Adams, owner of the A&W in Centre Square Mall, pinned the problem on a small group of youth. He said they loiter in the mall, disrupting his business, smoking, swearing, sometimes getting into fights and generally causing a general disturbance.
"To me, most of the kids are good," said Adams.
"But we have a handful of kids, they are the ones that have to be dealt with," he said.
Yellowknife city councillor Kevin O'Reilly said the city has a responsibility to address the matter, something that has come up in the past.
"The city's role is to try and find recreational opportunities for all its citizens, including youth," he said.
"The Side Door (youth drop in shelter) is not enough."
O'Reilly cites the recent construction of a skateboard park near Ecole St. Joseph as an example of the city's action. He also said a second skateboard park within the downtown core is also a possibility.
For his part, Adams has been in constant communication with Yellowknife Mayor Gord Van Tighem through letters.
Since purchasing the franchise last fall, Adams has been drawing attention to what he feels is a problem out of hand.
While he admits his business has not suffered financially and has no solutions in mind he believes the problem limits potential growth of the downtown core.
"Our downtown core is being destroyed," he said.
Chamber plans meeting
Shawnette MacNeil, chair of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce education committee, said her committee took on the problem last year and has been working towards solutions.
"We're at the beginning point," she said.
"There are some ideas," said MacNeil who is also the manager of the Yellowknife Inn and mall.
Some of those ideas include alternative schooling, a fast-track measure to get youth into the trades.
"These kids have no interest in university," said MacNeil.
"There are a lot of positions open for trades people."
MacNeil said the chamber does not have money to bring to the table but hopes it will come from territorial coffers.
"We're not looking to change the world," said MacNeil.
"All we want is to do is identify (the problem)."
RCMP Staff Sgt. Terry Scott said his department does what it can to alleviate the stress on mall staff but he believes mall security needs better training.
Centre Square Mall security does not undergo certification or training.
"Normal people off the street may not have the skills," said Scott.
"Training is an important part of any job," said Scott.
"In order to deal with these problems you need to be skilled in communication not brute force."
Adams said he's implemented measures to keep rowdies under control in his restaurant.
"I've hired a guy because I need time to rest," said Adams.
"He's a bus-boy but he can handle situations."
He pulls out a cordless phone from his back pocket.
"When I get one of them in here I call two numbers, the RCMP or bylaw," he said.
Some of the young people who do hang out of the mall feel the matter has been blown out of proportion and all teens are getting tarred with the same brush.
"Teens aren't that bad," said Nancy MacNeill, 17.
"It's been blown out of proportion," said the Sir John Franklin Grade 12 student.
MacNeill said she has been treated badly by some mall staff just because of her age.
"I've been working since I was 13; I pay taxes," she said, "but adults don't look at me as equal which is unfair."
A public meeting on the matter is tentatively scheduled to be held later this month.
