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City councillors concerned about public drunkenness and loitering downtown
Northern News Services
Published Friday, September 20, 2013
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Yellowknifer asked city councillors what the city should do about public drunkenness and loitering downtown? Their responses:
Rebecca Alty
"Wet" day centers have had success and might be something we want to explore (who will operate it, fund it, etc.). Some centres provide measured doses of alcohol to decrease binge drinking and include community projects, which give clients a sense of purpose and pride. In Ottawa's Managed Alcohol Program, drinking levels for all clients were lowered and residents had fewer visits to the ER and fewer police encounters.
Adrian Bell
Loitering is hard to define and therefore legislating against it is problematic, but public drunkenness and drinking in public are easy to define and pretty easy to spot. We have to first recognize that ducking the issue and waiting for other levels of government to address root causes is not working. We now have to look at solutions that are within our control such as possibly empowering municipal enforcement officers to enforce Liquor Act violations and working with the day shelter to expand its programming.
Bob Brooks
RCMP and MED working together on foot patrols (especially in the downtown), will not only help to double the presence, but would create a safer environment. The social issues committee have been working on suggestions to deal with some of the social issues faced in the downtown core. They are due to bring their recommendations forward shortly. I think that we should see what they are recommending.
Linda Bussey
It is a complex issue, there are no quick fixes. The city has been working with its partners, including the social issues committee, on short, medium and long term strategies to address the downtown. I am looking forward to presenting the social issues committee's strategic plan, which will enable the community to begin discussions on what specific actions can be taken.
Niels Konge
I am willing to try almost anything to curb the public drinking, intoxication, loitering and harassment of citizens by a very select few members of our society. As a council we have been elected almost one year and have had no action items on this yet ... Yellowknife needs to give its bylaw officers the tools to deal with loitering and public drinking, and then the mandate to enforce.
Phil Moon Son
Improving safety in the downtown core will require a comprehensive plan with all of the involved governments and organizations, removal of benches in problematic locations is only one solution to the overall approach. Policing involves GNWT cooperation. Our territorial government needs to recognize this is a pan-territorial issue ... However, our bylaw enforcement division can and should do more with ensuring safe behavior and enforcing our municipal bylaws.
Cory Vanthuyne
The behavioral pattern in the downtown has become more concerning than ever and has put the safety of our residents at risk along with it. In my view, we have reached a point where intolerable behavior is in need of practical and proven methods of prevention. That starts with having visible and consistent presence by RCMP and municipal enforcement officers on our streets, parks and trails where the unwanted interactions are taking place.
Dan Wong
"We need to make downtown improvement our top priority. Improvement means focusing on ideas that work. For example, I support the day shelter because it addresses the core downtown issues: people with no homes, people who abuse substances, people with mental health conditions, and people in crisis.
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