East Village Rejuvenation Plan

[Radley77]

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

I don't have the numbers to back this up, but I've been hearing that crime has increased in Bridgeland since the Cecil closed.

I guess this hasn't been my experience. When the Cecil was open, there was more problems with open air drug dealing that begot more crime like theft from vehichle and assaults. Since removing of some of the drugdealing element and alcohol addiction, it hasn't only migrated but disappeared.

The following is a comparison of numbers pre and post Cecil closure (Cecil was closed in December 2008 - http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2008/12/09/cecil-hotel-licence-pulled.html ).

Bridgeland Crime Data from early 2008:
http://web.archive.org/web/20080629212909/www.calgarypolice.ca/crimestats/99G0-B.html

Bridgeland Crime Data from early 2010:
http://www.calgarypolice.ca/pdf/CommunityCrimeStats_June2010.xls

From January to April 2008 (pre Cecil closure) compared to January to April 2010 (post Cecil closure):
Assault: 19 down to 11 (down 42%)
Street Robberies: 5 to 3 (down 40%)
Commercial Robberies: 1 to 1 (flat)
Break & Enter - House: 3 to 5 (up 67%)
Break & Enter - Shop: 5 to 3 (down 40%
Break & Enter - Other: 1 to 1 (flat)
Theft of Vehichle: 28 to 3 (down 89%)
Theft from Vehichle: 26 to 9 (down 65%)
Mischief: 14 to 18 (up 29%)

Total: 102 to 54 (down 47%)

Some of the crimes that I think some of the druggie addicts are more likely to pull off is the theft from vehichle and assaults. Things like break and enter for houses or theft of vehichles might require a more sophisticated kind of criminal. My anecdotal experience as a Bridgeland resident, also what I have seen from monitoring the Calgary Police Service crime statistics is reasons why I think increasing buffers between liquor establishments and homeless shelter is an effective tool at not displacing, but stopping crime.

[Calgarian]

Strange, I also heard that crime had increased in Bridgeland.

[mooky]

Meh, my personal experience isn't so much crime, but bums in general coming up into bridgeland to drink in the bushes along Edmonton Trail, along the Eisenbergs shrub wall, where the little red house used to be until they bulldozed the lot recently (the house had previously been removed but not the trees and overgrowth) and other select spots. I suppose its also due to the proximity of the liquor store at Bridgeland corner on 1st avenue being reasonably close and since its outside the core, there are more opportunities for them to just hang and not be harassed by the cops. The police in response has increased patrols, and you see bike cops, beat cops and bylaw enforcement sometimes, but the sheer size of bridgeland area makes it statistically less likely that they will be harassed unless they are doing actual crime and not just chugging the lucky lager in the bushes somewhere when compared to the police presence and CCTV now downtown.

[Radley77]

Originally Posted by mooky

Meh, my personal experience isn't so much crime, but bums in general coming up into bridgeland to drink in the bushes along Edmonton Trail, along the Eisenbergs shrub wall, where the little red house used to be until they bulldozed the lot recently (the house had previously been removed but not the trees and overgrowth) and other select spots. I suppose its also due to the proximity of the liquor store at Bridgeland corner on 1st avenue being reasonably close and since its outside the core, there are more opportunities for them to just hang and not be harassed by the cops. The police in response has increased patrols, and you see bike cops, beat cops and bylaw enforcement sometimes, but the sheer size of bridgeland area makes it statistically less likely that they will be harassed unless they are doing actual crime and not just chugging the lucky lager in the bushes somewhere when compared to the police presence and CCTV now downtown.

That seems to be what I have noticed as well. There is about the same amount of beer chugging, but it's much rarer nowadays to see prostitution or open airdrug dealing that had almost witnessed on a daily basis around the Cecil Hotel. It was more the theft from vehichles that I had attributed more as a result of the open air drug dealing and users needing cash.

The amount of alcohol addictions is still very acute and continues on a daily basis, but the alcoholics seem to be much less harmful than the drug addicts from a crime perspective.

Since stepping up the beat patrol, the drug dealers have a very high probability of being caught. The bike cops are silent and show up in seconds leaving them with a high degree of suprise element.

There is still lots or even more activity from ambulances and police services. Note that the statistics don't include things like drug dealing (and why provide that market research to criminals). The difference is that whereas this went unchecked before, the police have and are cleaning up the drug dealing aspects and having a dramatic impact on other types of crimes like assault and theft from vehichle being committed in the area.

I have made this point before, but I strongly think that stopping drug dealing leverages crime reduction in many other areas.

[Ramsayfarian]

@Radley77, thanks for taking the time to dig up those numbers. I've forwarded your post to a friend of mine who thought crime was rampent in Bridgeland.

[Rocks off]

On the B&Es in Bridgeland: the community association prez told me there was one particular problem individual that was dealt with.

It seemed like everyone expected/feared a mass migration of the Cecil element to Bridgeland. But the crime uptick has only happened in people's minds.

[kw5150]

I have a friend who lives near the drop in centre and he should be hired by the city of calgary to monitor drug trafficking.

I cant count how many times we have seen the same vehicle parked in and around the drop in centre......and people hobbling over to it........then going up to a small hill and waving their arms all over the place for half an hour......and some of them look like they are combining worshipping and picking grass....truly a sight to be seen......

I cant believe these dealers cant be caught easier!! When my friend phoned the police, he was told to call 311 to complain about the dealers......what??

[tdurden5573]

Originally Posted by kw5150

I have a friend who lives near the drop in centre and he should be hired by the city of calgary to monitor drug trafficking.

I cant count how many times we have seen the same vehicle parked in and around the drop in centre......and people hobbling over to it........then going up to a small hill and waving their arms all over the place for half an hour......and some of them look like they are combining worshipping and picking grass....truly a sight to be seen......

I cant believe these dealers cant be caught easier!! When my friend phoned the police, he was told to call 311 to complain about the dealers......what??

Totally Agree, I use to see deals all the time when I parked in East Village and walked to work. Then watch deals out my office window. If I were a cop I'd have 100 arrests, however, I believe the problem lies less with the police and more with the judical system.

Dealers get a slap on the wrist then are back out the door, so its a waste of policing effort. Users are victims of addiction and should have to undergo treatment or face stiffer penalties for posession. Lawyers who defend dealers should have to wear a Canucks jersey.

In a more positive note, I think the police force has actually done a great job downtown and much of the community prosperity of the core can be attributed to their dedication.

[kw5150]

Originally Posted by tdurden5573

Totally Agree, I use to see deals all the time when I parked in East Village and walked to work. Then watch deals out my office window. If I were a cop I'd have 100 arrests, however, I believe the problem lies less with the police and more with the judical system.

Dealers get a slap on the wrist then are back out the door, so its a waste of policing effort. Users are victims of addiction and should have to undergo treatment or face stiffer penalties for posession. Lawyers who defend dealers should have to wear a Canucks jersey.

In a more positive note, I think the police force has actually done a great job downtown and much of the community prosperity of the core can be attributed to their dedication.

Thanks for that. Im glad we are at least trying to solve these city issues.

[Radley77]

Originally Posted by kw5150

I have a friend who lives near the drop in centre and he should be hired by the city of calgary to monitor drug trafficking.

I cant count how many times we have seen the same vehicle parked in and around the drop in centre......and people hobbling over to it........then going up to a small hill and waving their arms all over the place for half an hour......and some of them look like they are combining worshipping and picking grass....truly a sight to be seen......

I cant believe these dealers cant be caught easier!! When my friend phoned the police, he was told to call 311 to complain about the dealers......what??

Wow, I've only called the police twice, and am suprised you got that response. Once they were under 5 minutes, and another time it took them about an hour. When there resources are really stretched, it provides a window of opportunity for the drug dealers to get out when police are unable to respond to 'suspicious persons' calls.

I have also called in needles in the grass as they are hazards to dogs/children in sandals. As long as there is no other fire in progress, the Hazmat team is pretty quick in picking that up (under 15 minutes).

The other big thing that the Calgary Police have been doing very successfully is shutting down marketplaces for crime. Places like the Cecil Hotel which had 1,700 police calls a year had abused this to the max.

The new laws to seize property like automobiles and property has the ability to cripple a drug dealers business and destroy whatever assets they had accumulated. Both the new civil forfeiture office that allows for police to seize anything which is believed to be a proceed of crime and the new SCAN program which holds property owners accountable for illegal activities occurring routinely on their property are two big steps forward.

[kw5150]

Originally Posted by Radley77

Wow, I've only called the police twice, and am suprised you got that response. Once they were under 5 minutes, and another time it took them about an hour. When there resources are really stretched, it provides a window of opportunity for the drug dealers to get out when police are unable to respond to 'suspicious persons' calls.

I have also called in needles in the grass as they are hazards to dogs/children in sandals. As long as there is no other fire in progress, the Hazmat team is pretty quick in picking that up (under 15 minutes).

The other big thing that the Calgary Police have been doing very successfully is shutting down marketplaces for crime. Places like the Cecil Hotel which had 1,700 police calls a year had abused this to the max.

The new laws to seize property like automobiles and property has the ability to cripple a drug dealers business and destroy whatever assets they had accumulated. Both the new civil forfeiture office that allows for police to seize anything which is believed to be a proceed of crime and the new SCAN program which holds property owners accountable for illegal activities occurring routinely on their property are two big steps forward.

And like someone said above......it is the court system.....not the police. We saw one guy get arrested and he was back (same vehicle) within 24 hours. I really do not have the answers to these complex social problems.

[Bigtime]

The Riverwalk in the East Village will be open this weekend:

http://yfrog.com/458khkj

http://yfrog.com/g1hmdhj

[YYCguys]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

The Riverwalk in the East Village will be open this weekend:

http://yfrog.com/458khkj

http://yfrog.com/g1hmdhj

How beautiful!

[kw5150]

Thanks for the update. I will check it out for sure.

[Wooster]

Some night shots from Chris Ollenberger of Riverwalk - getting very close to opening:

I think this will instantly become my favourite public space in Calgary.

















Dual purpose stormwater outfall


Daytime

[CorporateWhore]

Is the whole section from Eau Claire to the East Village opening?

[floobie]

That looks pretty awesome!

Just in time for winter...

[GoTall]

Originally Posted by CorporateWhore

Is the whole section from Eau Claire to the East Village opening?

Only the section from Fort Calgary to 3rd Street SE this weekend.

[CorporateWhore]

Thanks GT.

I love these types of waterfront developments. Wish there was even more of it. The section from the West End to Crowchild sure could use a little more love....I guess it eventually will once that are is redeveloped more extensively.

[kw5150]

Love it! Thanks for posting.



But........too many trees too close together in some areas. I hope it has been planned with good visual connections and the area isn't broken up too much. That is my only criticism. How could you not like this development?? Combined with the furture riverwalk connections and the rest of the East Village it is really giving this area a "sense of place."

Another project not too far away is the new NEW WIER which is pretty exciting as well. Hopfully it turns into an urban beach where you can watch people go over the rapids in a drunken state.......