Few political decisions are more ludicrous than the joint project of the city and the province to spend $110,750 for the research phase of a study aimed at shifting the “general trend that there is a concern for safety downtown, that there is a negative perception of downtown and ... our unhoused citizens who live there.”
So the problem to be overcome is our “perception.”
I recently took a walk through the downtown core. I thought the problems were the stench of urine, the presence of human feces, needles strewn about, tent encampments on public property, and local businesses having to barricade themselves in their own buildings because of the crime.
I note that the front page story in The Citizen on August 10 was “City tops B.C. crime list.” I am relieved to hear that it is just my perception that needs adjustment.
I don’t mean to belittle the multifactorial problem that the homeless represent. Drugs, alcoholism, mental illness, and a place to live are just some of the difficulties they face. These are genuine issues that require a response. However, it does nothing to resolve those problems to tell us that things aren’t really as bad as our senses and our common sense tell us they are. This expenditure is just a colossal waste of money.
In supporting the $110,750 report, the city communications officer also intimated that the city needs to follow an “adaptive strategy” on the homelessness issue. In other words, since we can’t change it, get used to it.
The other thing to note is that this expenditure is only for Phase 1. Phase 2 will undoubtedly involve further expense. We have not been told how much it will cost or whether the province will continue to fund it.
Even though this “study” is directed towards answering the wrong question, it does achieve one thing – it gives the city and the province the illusion of actually dealing with the problems of the downtown core. This creative delay avoids having to deal with the real problem and making what are likely to be very unpalatable decisions.
The current profligacy looks suspiciously like the $250,000 that previous city councils spent on determining the feasibility of a Performing Arts Centre. After ten years of studies which pointed out that such a project was economically viable, council then shelved the project without ever having a vote on it. They then built and sold condos on the land intended for the arts centre, incurring a $30 million dollar overrun on the garage in the process. Now they are going back to square one and asking for public input on what to do with the city owned properties near the Civic Centre.
Different councils. Different issues. Same incompetent approach.
James Cluff
Prince George
