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More havoc being created in downtown Trail

Letter to the Editor from Concerned Citizens of Trail Group
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Overdose prevention and safe injection sites in B.C. are taking extra precautions like using enhanced cleaning measures and mobile sites to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. Photo: Black Press Media file

by CONCERNED TRAIL CITIZENS GROUP

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There is a lack of consequences for theft and crime; often times if caught, the offender is released on his/her own recognizance until their court date some months ahead.

Does it not seem odd that these individuals can get away with every crime imaginable including arson and murder when the average citizen is often punished for a much more minor infraction?

Safety is a big issue in Trail now; many people won’t any longer go downtown for fear of being accosted for money or being the target of verbal abuse.

Families going to the library/museum/movie theatre/ restaurants/gymnastics classes are having to witness addicted people injecting drugs and yelling obscenities.

Many of these individuals urinate and defecate on the streets and in business doorways and think nothing of dashing out in the middle of the street regardless of oncoming traffic.

Trail’s reputation is being negatively impacted by the dramatic increase in the number of homeless and addicted individuals here.

All the money spent by Communities in Bloom to promote our community has been pointless and a waste of time, energy and money.

Since our RCMP contingent is still understaffed by almost half, the remaining half of the staff is being super stressed and, no doubt, less efficient as a result.

The recent incident on Daniel Street where two of our officers were injured, further exacerbates the problem.

In spite of the escalating crime here, why did the city council vote to increase the number of shelter beds which has only resulted in more and more street people coming to our town and creating more havoc?

If the obtaining of grants for dealing with these addicted individuals is dependent on showing numbers needing this level of service, then there is no incentive to get these individuals to be self-reliant.

Furthermore, if local shelter is to continue to be successful in obtaining grants resulting in more individuals coming to Trail, then they need to be held accountable and responsible for their behaviour and the negative impact on downtown Trail.

There is a danger that because of all the crime in the downtown core, that future endeavours by the Bank of Montreal and Selkirk College may be jeopardized.

For those who are pushing for a safe injection site, do they not realize that, first of all, this is still illegal and so they are promoting an illegal activity.

Furthermore, the presence of this site will allow for a great influx of drug users from all over the area.

Is this really what we want here?

Who is going to deal with these individuals once they come out of the safe injection site as they will not be sober?

City council needs to ask the Trail business owners how much money, time and effort they have put out to protect and repair their properties in the past couple of years.

Many have put up cameras, lights, fences and the like and these are not cheap.

One example of another cost is the number of shopping carts that have been taken from the grocery stores, sometimes filled with food, etc. We notice more and more businesses are hiring security personnel which were never needed in the past — another significant cost!

Why are absentee landlords not taken to task about leaving buildings such as the old Eaton’s (Liquidation World) so filthy?

This is in the centre of our city and it is such an eyesore!

It is obvious that city council is not listening to the concerns of our citizens and business people.

What will it take for them to do so?

Our city council must step up to the plate now and not wait for other levels of government to show the way.

We all know what the issues are; let’s deal with them now!

Several city councils in other B.C. communities are taking a stand; why isn’t Trail?

Think about these concerns noted above and if you consider them to be valid, please write or phone Mayor Pasin.

Concerned Trail Citizens; John D’Arcangelo, Margaret Crawford, Kathryn Oliphant, Patty Crain, Terry Brennen, Bruce Taylor.