Its moniker may be 鈥渢he place to be鈥� but for newcomer John Woodford, 91原创 City is not turning out that way.
After several visits during the day to 91原创 City and to local condo developments, Woodford and his wife settled on buying at Serenade, a new upscale development beside Douglas Park.
The couple came to the City from Kerrisdale. After four weeks of living in the City, they are already thinking of moving.
鈥淲e鈥檝e already been victims of crime. Our building was broken into by three well-known, repeat offenders who were back out on the streets right after their arrest,鈥� said Woodford.
鈥淢y wife sees the prostitutes working the park at night, I鈥檝e seen used condoms in the park,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n the day, there is plenty of police presence and everything seems tranquil. But at night, this place puts on a whole different face.鈥�
After his building was broken into, he went around to businesses in McBurney Lane and showed them photos of the offenders and asked them if police have been by to see how things are going.
He claims the response from businesses was 鈥渟hock and awe鈥� and he said they haven鈥檛 been approached by RCMP in a long time or at all.
鈥淭he City is spending all this money to improve McBurney Lane and I understand $2 million was spent putting in the bandstand in the park. How come time and energy can鈥檛 be spent cleaning up the City of criminals?鈥�
His wife is ready to move, but Woodford still wants to fight for change.
鈥淭here seems to be a disconnect with the community. I don鈥檛 think they they can make a difference,鈥� he said.
He has spoken with police and Councillor Teri James, who is the executive director of the Downtown BIA.
鈥淪he was helpful,鈥� he said.
He鈥檚 hoping to see the RCMP step up enforcement, as well as see City officials deal with behaviour at the park.
The 91原创 RCMP does have its core enforcement team that concentrates on the core of the City and the crime of that area.
鈥淥ur crime analyst is paying attention to hot spots and bringing those stats to our senior management team,鈥� said Const. Craig van Herk.
He didn鈥檛 know if the team had any special projects for the City currently.
The City has always faced challenges with more crime than the rest of 91原创. At one time drug dealing, prostitution, open drug use and crime became so bad in the City that residents demanded action from the RCMP, calling their own townhall meeting which police attended.
That鈥檚 the kind of action Woodford is hoping residents will take again. He is quite willing to do his part.
