Stories on downtown issues aimed at getting different perspectives
By Lethbridge Herald on August 11, 2023.
LEAVE IT TO BEEBER
Al Beeber
Galt Gardens is a lightning rod for discussion in the city about the issues that exist in the downtown core.
But that park isn’t the only area of downtown dealing with drug addiction and its collateral damage.
Turn off 6 Ave. S. onto 6 St. before dawn and you will see numerous unhoused laying against walls, huddled in doorways, standing slouched over or inhaling from pipes. Some will clearly be dealing with a predator handing them drugs to feed their deadly habits.
You see the same on other streets, too, including 8 St. past the library and around the parking garage of an engineering firm.
Two convenience store/gas stations have throngs hanging around their businesses, doing drugs or just lying in stupours. One store owner has on more than occasion locked the door behind me on my regular visit to purchase losing lottery tickets after spotting someone who clearly has been problematic in the past.
The increase in these behaviours began about six years ago – in the summer of 2017 I remember telling multiple people that downtown was going to see an increase in homelessness and addicts coming to the core. Other people knew it was inevitable, as well. Until that point in time, downtown Lethbridge never saw to the same extent what we see every day and night. And then it was mostly booze, not drugs, with occasional empties scattered around alleyways or in doorways
When the supervised consumption site on 1 Ave. S. – salvation to some, scourge to others – opened, we saw that drug activity increase even further with needles and drug debris being discarded wantonly throughout downtown. People expressed their fears at coming here due to the activity they saw. Were those fears warranted? It depends on who you ask and like chins, everyone has an opinion.
Fast forward to 2023 and a year after encampments at the Civic Centre were in the spotlight all summer, we aren’t seeing all the tents at that location. Where have they gone? To other cities, to other areas? To Galt Gardens?
Some feel a fence around Galt Gardens will make that park safer; others are totally against the idea. Our reader survey last month showed 75 per cent of respondents were against a fence. But in a separate survey, 85 per cent said more security is needed at that park. As unscientific as polls can be, this does suggest that the community feels problems exist there.
We’ve heard differing opinions through the stories written by Steffanie Costigan about the fencing idea from her survey of downtown businesses and residents as well as the comments she heard at a City Hall protest. We’ve gotten quite a few Roasts over the fencing idea, as well. It’s not a popular idea, even among some who could be considered on the far right side of the political fence which I know from discussions with residents.
But the OBM brought before council by mayor Blaine Hyggen and supported by Deputy Mayor John Middleton-Hope, while failing to get enough votes to have administration look into the feasibility of fencing, has succeeded in sparking a huge discussion about downtown safety, addictions and homelessness.
What we are hearing from residents is the need for dialogue and that’s what we’ve been engaging in with stories on problems impacting our community.
We’ve given print to the perspectives of different voices including Streets Alive, homeless people themselves, businesses and community leaders. And we are continuing to seek out voices because we believe a dialogue needs to be held. There are a multitude of different stakeholders in this community and we are trying to get perspectives from as many as we can.
We’ve taken a few shots over it, being accused of pandering to Middleton-Hope who is just one voice among many in these discussions. I’ve had a few people take umbrage with us for letting homeless voices be printed. But they do have a voice.
And if I had a buck for every shot I’ve heard taken against our City’s Community Social Development department I’d probably be able make a massive Costco run this weekend.
We continue to reach out to people for their perspectives ranging from Mothers Stop the Harm to the Lethbridge Housing Authority. Many people have their opinions on the divisive subjects of homelessness and addiction. Many have their own experiences and we are seeking to tell those stories, as well.
We want to engage the public on matters which impact our downtown and we are doing it by seeking as broad a range of opinions on the subject as we can. We aren’t going to tell readers what to think and what to support – we aren’t going to tell city council what to do and how to do it. That’s not our job.
We want to get as much information out to the public as we possibly can so the community can have as much information at hand to gain an understanding of, and perhaps find solutions – if there actually are any – to issues that impact us all.
We’ve often heard homelessness and addictions go hand in hand. But are they necessarily connected? Is one the root cause of the other? Is there evidence to prove either?
Is there evidence that giving an addict a roof will change their behaviour simply because of the roof? Or does some type of behaviour modification needed to ensure that roof stays over their heads?
What does harm reduction mean to different people? Who is really an expert on any of this? And is it possible to be an expert on such complex matters since everyone has a different life story?
These are among the many questions that need answers and in coming weeks, we hope to provide some perspectives on a community issue that is entrenched here and for now at least, doesn’t seem to have an immediate solution that is palatable to the majority of residents.
24-23
Agreed, the fence is a great focal point.
A fence is seen as something to keep people out or keep people in.
So, the Homeless supporters suggest its to keep “their people out”
The fence supporters believe its a way to control egress and ingress.
The great parks of the world all tend to be fenced because it funnels people into a specific access point. This allows horticulturists to then know that other areas that have no access can have earthen mounds, populated by trees and flower beds etc.
The “fence” in Lethbridge, has become an attack on Homelessness and Racist. So lets kill the study, not the development, but the study?
I wonder if anyone has given thought to the “remote possibility”, that maybe, just maybe, the city after studying it, would have a proposal for another area for tents and the homeless etc. in hand? So it would become a package deal as it were? Or have the 40 just decided to stop everything?
How did that discussions on the fence become an attack on the Homelessness and Racist? There is nothing racist about it! I will never stop calling out what I see, no matter who or what it is.
We listen to your conspiracy theories, your fantasies on projects that are non-existent and now you accuse of being racist and attacking the homeless because we don’t want money wasted on fences, or playgrounds. We just want to use the park and shop downtown without having constantly look where we step or where not to go! You need to go back on your meds!
That is just it, is this a waste of money? Are you aware what the overall plan is for the downtown? I am not, other than to install as many addiction services as possible. So, postulating on a strategy is not out of the relm of possibility. Perhaps the intent was to create one of the great parks and they had planned another area for Addiction.
So I believe the “fence” is a great way to start opinions rolling in. Thanks for the medical advice.
Conspiracy theories R U Serious
Name one good reason why after 25 years of watching cities around the world destroy the area that Addicts operate in, would we in 2023 do exactly the same thing? You say you listen to my conspiracy theories but do you understand the basis of all this?
I have two fears for Lethbridge, people proceeding with the destruction of downtown, which is a given if you have any understanding of any other city that has done the same. Our Downtown at best is 12 square blocks, so whom would ever proceed down this path unless there was some sort of reward, spirtual or financial at the end of that tunnel ? Who would knowingly put citizens and businesses in jeopardy?
My second and greatest fear, once this evolves, the Indigenous will be blamed for businesses collapsing and employees being let go. This is why I developed my altermative plan and, sought and received support from 14 Elders of the Blood Reserve. Again you may feel these are all conspiracies, but they are documented as fact in other cities around the world. Germany Denmark, London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh etc etc etc all went through this.
You may not approve of what I say, how I say it, but one thing that has been constant is Alvin Mills and I are on exactly the same page. He and I figured out what will happen, long ago, and we both don’t have a Degree from U of L either, go figure!
Great article Al and thank you for the balanced reports on the issues downtown. People are fed up and tired and want an end to this, while the non-profits and organized criminals push back and fight for it to continue so they can make money.
Where did all the new faces come from that just arrived that are now on our streets? It was reported that some came by bus from Calgary. Communities dumping their problems on other communities is just unacceptable and we should be finding out who is responsible.’
Is it fair that Indigenous communities are allowed to kick off their troublemakers, driving them to the nearest city and even banishing them? How does that solve anything?
Lethbridge repeatedly gets dumped on by nearby reserves and even cities and then we, the taxpayers have to pay millions to counter the impacts on our community, while have emergency services stressed after being tasked with overwhelming calls to those people now on our streets. When you call an ambulance due to cardiac issues and are told it will be a while because there are no EMS available it is serious!
People are tired, fed up and angry the issues only seem to increase, costing them more money. The costs have been high for downtown businesses and many have been lost because people do not want to shop or conduct business downtown anymore. Several businesses have had the funds to move out of downtown to areas where there are not the issues have downtown, while others have just had to close, creating bankruptcies and in some cases destroying a family due to stress, divorcing.
This goes far beyond the fence, the addicts in the park, the feces and urine in and around downtown businesses and the constant clean-up because garbage and clothing are left strewn on the streets and alleys.
People are tired of hearing the term ‘most vulnerable’ given the very criminals who are destroying our city and it’s reputation, who are will not be housed, because this is their area of operations where they commit their crimes. They are not the truly homeless!
Just as businesses have pulled out of downtown or closed, many residents of this city have moved out of nearby areas to find peace and security. I for one have had enough of seeing my property taxes burned up by leadership who spend like money falls from the sky, while ignoring citizen concerns.
It is very sad that when your family has been in this city for over 130 years, has been involved in it’s building and served in areas in this city, that one had to leave to find peace and security in another community.
Some politicians are to blame, some academics and some citizens.
Canada has been ripped apart and fractured by this new woke crowd and by the progressive crowd who push for defunding police, allowing people to do what they want even though it impacts the rest of society, and these new movements have fractured both the US and Canada. What is even more concerning is that educational institutions are promoting these ideas in universities while censoring free speech.
Lethbridge just 8 years ago was city people visited and wanted to come here to retire, or move here to work and live. Some of those people came and moved due to the issues and our city’s reputation was destroyed internationally by calling us the drug capital where we have the business drug consumption site in the world, when in reality, it was later revealed the figures were inflated, and instead of almost 900 users per day to the site, it was only 143 using the site multiple times, which negated the claim we had the busiest site not just in the world but Canada. Many businesses died within 2 years of that site opening and some had to invest their retirement funds to stay open.
The impacts to this city will never be completely exposed, but the stories need to be told!
People would say that relocating addicts is a conspiracy theory. Seems strange others are realizing what happens when you paint a target on your city https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/other/homeless-people-allegedly-being-shipped-to-london-ont-draws-ire-of-deputy-mayor/ar-AA1f9fSC
Thank you Al for the bringing out some important stories on this crisis!
Here is another impact that many don’t see.
Alarms systems going off constantly to attempt to push people away from businesses who are hanging out, while destroying the peace of people trying to enjoy their homes.These alarms can be heard several blocks away and in some cases the existing 3 businesses using them, have them all going off simultaneously.
City bylaw allows this form of moving people along and has no consideration for the over 800 people within earshot who live in the area.
Royal Lepage, MPE Engineering and now Avail accountants now use this system and refuse to consider the impact to residents who live in area and requests to reduce their use were met with a NO. They have a right they say!
The rest of us have no rights?
Thanks to Council we don’t! LPS says there is nothing they can do because of the bylaw Council put in place in the last couple of years, which allows it.
One is noted to go off throughout the night!
Just another impact related to this crisis!
When I was “boozing it up” as a Sailor/Submariner I had on many occassions the opportunity to smooze with the local Addicts, not knowing they were addicts at the time.
One of the things I will remember for the rest of my life was something a 23 year old female told me sitting in a park in Brussels.
I asked her if she got alot of support for her addiction, she was on pretty well everything at the time LSD speed etc, names I was familiar with but never dabbled in.
She smiled and said “more support then you will ever dream”! I thought that very peculiar so asked for an explanation. The Addicts had a system created by Brussels nonprofits. Let me explain;
There were lots of nonprofits, specializing in numerous things that were their supposedly to help the addict. The biggest problem was the numbers were increasing in the “nonprofit world” and competition for Gov money was extremely tight.
So a few, not all struck a deal. Emma went to a nonprofit, she was recorded for the visit and the nonprofit would pay her enough to get another “hit”. This was and is the beginning of my dislike for nonprofits. Again, not all are bad, some are superb. So what do you think 1200 nonprofits are doing in DTES Vancouver?
What do you think will happen here if the Addicted population grows? I think if you were or are not part of this fiasco you could probably see all this as a conspiracy…..until it happens here.
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