To the editor:
As one of the downtown taxpayer business owners, that is open until late at night (if possible), I would like to share an easy fix to our downtown late-night foot traffic. Please go to the city grounds for your nightly resting spot. As I found out you can burn in cans or on cement for warmth and food cooking.
No matter if the place is private property. As a taxpayer, I would assume the city properties belong to taxpayers to enjoy. We would like to see more city properties available for our guests each night.
City Hall has beautiful grass, trees to tie tarps for shelter, plug-ins, lights and the best part is you have safety because the RCMP are right beside you. On the morning the city staff can come and pick up waste, clean feces and urine and pick up the drug paraphernalia, that you cannot take with you because people have given you things that you do not even want.
The many new arrivals coming to Terrace would feel welcome by the city if they camped at City Hall. The RCMP could tell you the ‘rules’ for Terrace RCMP, including the bus ticket program. This is in no way a slander to our less fortunate but a safe option instead of setting up in business doorways.
How can I have kids movies, let alone any movie, when it exits at a late hour and people have already moved into our doorways. We have setup the city trespass program and still have to call 911.
I hate calling 911 to get people to move on. However, the new arrivals not from our area bring with them weapons, violence and hard drugs. Just speak to a couple of locals such as Monte, a logger from Terrace, and Gypsy, a recognized youth go-to.
Taylor Bachrach just had a conversation with Gypsy when he visited our business. I am tired of being threatened and my staff being assaulted, and my property being vandalized. Press charges you say? The assault on my staff inside the business, to press charges was turned down as they said “we will keep him overnight.”
Meanwhile, I have video, I have a staff member that has shortened her shifts due to the trauma. Talk to our local homeless people and they will tell you things are not good on the street. Murders, drug overdoses, sexual assaults. If they camped by City Hall or George Little Park bandstand I am sure this would drop as the RCMP could help quickly.
This is a statement of frustration and no results.
Diane Robinson
Tillicum Twin Theatres
Terrace, B.C.
