500 Attend 'Get it started' Rally

Saturday, September 27, 2008 06:15 PM

Prince George, B.C. - About 500 people attended a downtown Prince George rally on 3^rd Avenue and George street earlier today—and the message was clear: Revitalize the downtown core.

Several spoke, and that included former B.C. Premier Mike Harcourt. “You know, I don't know why we're wearing these hats.” “You are started and more importantly, you're going to do it,” said Harcourt.

After being heckled by what appears to have been a Downtown Prince George street resident, Harcourt said the solution to 'invigorating' the downtown is to tackle the issue of homelessness.

“You know the solution to homelessness: a home. It 'aint complicated, is it? It's a home—where you got a key and you can lock the door and you can cook ... your own place.”

Initiatives Prince George President Tim McEwan agreed. “We all know there are various social challenges in our downtown.” “We can't simply remove less fortunate people from the street and think that the problem would be solved,” McEwan added.

Bill Baker is a homeless person and he lives in Downtown Prince George—mostly in shelters, when available. He says he agrees with what's been said. “It's not removing people but turning around and actually giving them the help that they need.”

Baker says there are three types of people in the downtown: “The normal everyday person, like me, then the drunks... and then the heavy drug users—who do you truthfully think all the problems are coming from?”

Most attendees agreed change needs to happen.

Kaitlyn Greenwood was there with her mom. “It's not very attractive for tourists coming into town,” she said. Drew Chisholm agreed. “I don't come down that often because I don't have a need for it, especially in the evening.” Long time PG resident Maureen Keibell said “Attitude is everything.”

Phil Boname—a man who helped write a report on how to revitalize Prince George's downtown 7 years ago also spoke about first helping the homeless before anything can happen. “Canadians can be very proud that we are a compassionate society,” he said.

“We must continue to give strong evidence of that compassion—whether it be for those who are below the poverty line; those who are afflicted with mental challenges, those who are homeless and those who are addicted.”

But he says people should be cautious. “It is important that we take care that we do not necessarily concentrate all of our welfare agencies in one location—they have to be put throughout the entire community,” said Boname.

He says the only way to ensure a downtown is a place people want to be is “to create an environment that is conducive to everyone's participation.”

Olive Godwin, the Central Interior Native Health Society's Primary Health Care Coordinator said though change needs to occur, she says it should be an 'inclusive' process. “Today's two hour event—it's just like taking over someone's living room. The homeless left, but when it was over, they came back.”

Though many talked of the need for change; most only agreed to that—but nothing specific.

Several members of Prince George City Council are heading to Victoria and Portland next year to look at their 'Housing First Program—one that's been successful in alleviating and reducing homelessness.

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Posted on Saturday, September 27, 2008 06:15 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Vikingnuck on September 27 2008 7:05 PM

While I am pleased that a core group of people organized and attended this event (I couldn't as I was working) it is more than telling of the publics attitude about this is bad when only .007% of our population turned out, and before any of you jump on me about my math, I based it on 500 out of 75000 attending. With the Farmers Market going on, it should've been at City Hall, with more appropriate parking available, maybe more would've showed up. I think most are fed up with the never ending "Revitalize Downtown" discussions, when nothing changes. When the hell was Downtown P.G. ever vital in the 1st place? Until you deal with the homelessness/drugs/booze, and get people to live Downtown in nice Condo's/Townhouses, as well as to create some higher forms of entertainment other than Bingo, I don't see this promised "Revitalization" happening. To quote the band,The Talking Heads "Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was"

Posted by: Get real on September 27 2008 7:21 PM

I attended the rally this afternoon and was disappointed in several ways - first, there weren't as many people as I'd have hoped, given the seriousness of the conditions downtown; and second, there was lots of "rah rah", "we can do this if we work together", but no substance or ideas or even concrete baby steps. I was at the back of the crowd and watched several of the folks who were being discussed as if they were a nuisance and unwanted try to slink through the area without getting involved or noticed - heads down, looking embarrassed... Mr Boname's report is now what? 7 years old? We can talk all we want about "helping" but when even the one treatment centre we did have is closed, what do we think is going to happen to the folks who need it?

All the municipal candidates have "downtown revitalization" in their comments or platforms - sure would be good to hear what they actually think they can DO

Posted by: Harbinger on September 27 2008 7:56 PM

Maybe a trip to the barber shop and an updated resume may solve some of the homeless problems. Others? Give em a bus ticket to anywhere but here. Sympathy? God helps those who help themselves? What an old cliche' eh?

Posted by: Wolfie on September 27 2008 8:04 PM

500/75,000 is 0.7%, not 0.007%. It would be 0.007% if only 5 people attended.

Posted by: bohemian on September 27 2008 8:51 PM

"Though many talked of the need for change; most only agreed to that�but nothing specific."

Clearly the time and format of the Rally was less about specifics and more about coming together to make a quality decision to (finally) get to work.

Many specifics on a whole range of issues were discussed at the panel discussion following the rally, to which all the media was invited. Where was Opinion250?

Posted by: Vikingnuck on September 27 2008 10:16 PM

0.7% not .007% ? Really? Well then. That's diffrent then isn't it? Hmmmm maybe the rally really was a success after all? ;) Told ya I'd get shot down for my limited math skills, but my Opinion remains the same.

Posted by: gus on September 28 2008 12:09 AM

500 is almost as many as attend a Cougars game but 3,000 or 4,000 less who attend a Beach Boys or other similar concerts and they pay for that pain.

Posted by: heidi1555 on September 28 2008 7:53 AM

It's hard to get people to come out to these sort of things. I was happily surprised to see that many people there when we arrived.

Also, a great effort was made by Shawn with his websites promoting the rally.

Posted by: robichal on September 28 2008 8:55 AM

I for one, am very tired of hearing about this so called revitalization. I've lived here my entire life (almost 42 yrs) and nothing has changed - some trees planted, paving stones laid...what this town needs is $$$, all cities/towns have the same social problems PG has and they seem to be able to deal w/ it. I think the # 1 problem is planning. The Ramada is a hotel I never recommend to people (I do this a lot at my work) not because it's a bad hotel, quite the contrary, it's a TERRIBLE location. The PG Hotel needs to be replaced by something decent w/ decent clientele. Notice how all the nice new hotels are avoiding downtown? The Sheraton, the Sandman...it is a clusterf^*&k downtown. All lower end establishments should be in ONE area and all higher end establishments should be the rest of the downtown. I wonder what will go where the Columbus once was? I heard a homeless shelter - smack dab in the middle of downtown - if this is true - STUPID idea and will only add to the decline of PG.

Posted by: editor on September 28 2008 10:37 AM

Bohemian:
Opinion 250 did in fact have a reporter at the meeting afterwards you just didn't recognize him as such. That story will be on the site later today. We thought the forum was important enough to have it stand on its own.

Elaine Macdonald
Publisher
Opinion250

Posted by: Bridge on September 28 2008 10:40 AM

Seven years since the Boname report and now we have to go to Portland and look at their projects? In other words we are stupid and dont have a brain to come up with a solution.

Our entire focus is on the homeless people when we should be looking at some of the businesses that are located there like pawn shops. Who shops at these places? There are only a few shops on third and George that would be used by the average person. It dosent matter how much money we spend on revitalization there is no need there and that will not change unless it becomes a shopping area used by all of us.

If I want a nice place to go to I go to a park,or go for a walk why would I drive to the down town area for relaxation. Its aa place to shop and thats all it will ever be. It dosent matter how many performing arts centers or bingo places you build they are specific needs used by specific people.

If you want kjnow whats wrong with the down town arae go to Granville Street in Vancouver. It used to be a great place to shop and today it looks like third avenue

Its the planing that has ruined the down town area. It has to compete with the big box stores on #16 west. Its just that simple. Untill the population of Prince George increases the down town area will not change

Cheers

Posted by: bohemian on September 28 2008 11:10 AM

I stand corrected. I look forward to the reporting of many specifics that came out of that panel discussion.

Posted by: gus on September 28 2008 11:46 AM

Bridge has hit the nail squarely on the head on all counts. Why can't those who actually have a say in what will be done have that street smart wisdom and put actions together towards success?

Posted by: Lamb on September 28 2008 12:27 PM

We live at the confluence of two rivers. We are extremely blessed to have the rivers. BUT what have we done to promote and enjoy them - we have placed industry in the way of people getting to the rivers. That includes the expansion of CN with the huge containers going through and cutting the City in two. I would like to see the rivers reclaimed and then downtown could grow.

Get the CN and industry away from the rivers and give the rivers back to the people.

Posted by: MrPG on September 28 2008 1:22 PM

"Though many talked of the need for change; most only agreed to that�but nothing specific."

This pretty much sums it up. More rhetoric. Wake me up in five years when we talk about this all over again (after we commission some studies of course).