Year Since Downtown Rally

Monday, September 28, 2009 03:55 AM

Prince George, B.C. - It has now been a year since the Let’s Get Started rally in Downtown. That rally was aimed as sparking action to improve the downtown core of Prince George. While it did succeed in catapulting rally organizer Shari Green, into the spotlight just days before she announced she would seek a seat on Council, what real progress has been made?

Mayor Dan Rogers established the Mayor’s Task Force on Downtown, (which has yet to issue its first phase report) and says there have been changes “Big changes and little changes” says Mayor Rogers. “Little changes like making sure it’s a little cleaner downtown, making sure we have a fresh coat of paint on the curbs and the parking stalls are clearly marked, the development of the Community Garden.” The Mayor adds the major change is the completion of the Smart Growth on the Ground Project “It has a shared vision now for the long term, 2035 and beyond. So not only are we looking at the stuff we have to do right now, but we’re looking at the longer term. So I think we’ve seen some progress there and I also think we’ve seen an improvement in safety. We have a ways to go, but there is a focus within the RCMP of having a stronger presence working with Community Policing to improve safety as well.”

The police presence to date has been the addition of foot patrols using retirees and auxiliaries to provide a police presence in the downtown core. How the Mayor’s hinted “stronger presence” will play out has not yet been detailed however, one recent incident in the downtown raised the public’s concerns about safety to a new level. That incident was the broad daylight assault on a lawyer who was leaving a bank building.

Councilor Shari Green says she would like to see things move a little faster “I don’t think we’re making progress fast enough, I’ll be perfectly honest about that.” She says the first real change she has seen is the addition of the two foot patrol officers 24 hours a day, seven days a week “That really has made a difference in the downtown, as a downtown business owner being there every day, I’ve seen a bit of a change in the kinds folks downtown who have been wreaking a bit of havoc, I feels like its less than it was last year.” Green says while the Mayor’s Task Force on Downtown meets monthly she would like to see things speed up a little “Through the summer things seemed a bit slower, but we are moving ahead, we’re getting ready for our report and getting into the implementation phase.”

Green says there needs to be housing in the downtown to help turn things around “That will be the first big thing that will put some bodies on the street and make a noticeable improvement.” Green says her housing wish is for those who need affordable housing as well “We do have a community of people living in the downtown who are struggling and there are people who definitely need to be housed.”

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Posted on Monday, September 28, 2009 03:55 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Bridget on September 28 2009 6:16 AM

A year isn't a long time to make much of a dent into a situation that has taken years to develop.
I remember my first visit to PG when I was in high school. 1981. It was not a pretty sight back then either.
When you neglect something long enough it takes on a life of its own to sustain itself. Whether its the state of downtown or the folks who live there, you get what you give.
Smart Growth on the Ground was an innovative but expensive venture. I hope it doesn't remain on paper like other research or community consultations.

Posted by: gus on September 28 2009 8:07 AM

"Mayor’s Task Force on Downtown meets monthly"

There is the most revealing piece of information to me. Sounds like a bunch of people we really have no clue about who they are meeting about the work they might be able to do without pay off the sides of their desks.

Posted by: bitter on September 28 2009 8:13 AM

Trying to clean up the downtown, they pushed the Hookers out, and have been useing the Connaught Miller area ever since as their dumping ground.They said it woulden't effect our Home values, well it has if you can even sell.We have fought back but it has been a waste of time, the only counciler that tried to help was Brian S. and I think he has given up. There is a Letter in the Citizen today with the heading Afraid for our lives in Connaught Hill , this Letter sums it up , by the way one of the Hookers lives in on of the new suites in the Friedship Lodge. They have distroyed the Downtown and you could say they have distroyed our area as well.

Posted by: Pylot Project on September 28 2009 12:45 PM

You can put 50% of that blame on the Johns as well "bitter". No Johns, no hookers.

If the police really wanted to crack down on that part of the dirty underbelly of the downtown, start arresting the "customers" and plaster their faces in a newspaper.

Posted by: gus on September 28 2009 2:02 PM

"Green says there needs to be housing in the downtown to help turn things around “That will be the first big thing that will put some bodies on the street and make a noticeable improvement.”

Where does Sheri Green live? If she is pushing for housing in the downtown, she should lead by example. In fact, if all those who are pushing for housing downtown were to put their $350,000+ where their mouth is, we would have a really good leading by example. A gated community downtown. Penthouses with a view and rooftop swimming pool under glass. $750,000 penthouse suites.

Anti up all those who promote the idea that housing downtown will be a panacea.

Posted by: Harbinger on September 28 2009 5:40 PM

Downtown? Housing? In the bowl? Penthouse with swimming pool over looking a needle exchange, drop in centre, soup kitchens, pawn shops, a homeless shelter or two, panhandlers, drug dealers, empty boarded up stores, transients, bums, hoboes, tramps, surly deadbeat ne'er do wells, beggars, etc? Plus the crappy air? And probably higher taxes. Good luck.

Posted by: Clean on September 28 2009 6:01 PM

After years of fighting the city Bylaw office I have given up, and put my house up for sale.
The City Bylaw office has been a waste of time.
Unfortunatly, I cant sell because all my neighbors are slobs & Bums.

I owned for over 10 years and its gotten worse.

I have full intentions of withdrawing my investment money in Prince George.

Posted by: Clean on September 28 2009 6:04 PM

Lower the Taxes in the Bowl and Increase taxes out of the bowl.
Plain and simple.

Posted by: gus on September 28 2009 6:19 PM

"Penthouse with swimming pool over looking a needle exchange, drop in centre, soup kitchens, pawn shops, a homeless shelter or two, panhandlers, drug dealers, empty boarded up stores, transients, bums, hoboes, tramps, surly deadbeat ne'er do wells, beggars, etc?"

Take a close look at the picture above this article.

You must be using binoculars from there is you can actually see them.

Of course, the trip up the elevator might be another problem.

Posted by: lmorge on September 29 2009 9:37 AM

The problem with DT prince george is just like the Hastings Street in vancouver, or abbotsford, etc - its a self sustaining continium of property crime, crime against the person, drugs, gang involvement, prostitution etc. They all feed off of one another therefore keeping the cycle going.
If there was a successful solution the problems wouldn't exist. No Utopia here.