09-03-2020, 02:53 AM
I'll be on the lookout for that tortoise...
I do see bicycle cops which is great, but I've really only seen cops walking if they just parked their car to respond to something. Obviously the role of police (or even very existence) has been become a very sensitive topic, so I don't want to start a debate. But as someone who has known police, and has only neutral or positive experiences with them, I like the idea of having a local "police booth" downtown. The idea being that it forces them to be more in tune with the reality of the street, but also to develop relationships with the local area on the ground. Of course, I also understand the opposition to having a constant police presence in an area.
Also, the idea of having "Wardens" meant to keep a specific identifiable group out of trouble seems comically controversial.
Yes, it's been quite interesting. I've spent approximately 21 years in this city, and everything I wrote has been just within the last 3 years downtown. I am located about as centrally as possible, so it's possibly a factor if you are all even just a few blocks out. But since I've only experienced this downtown, in my mind it's a downtown problem. Of course there are people downtown who go a lifetime with no problems, and people in the suburbs who get mugged multiple times in their life, so there is an element of chance to it. Maybe I've just been exceptionally unlucky.
The folks further out being insulated from our urban reality is certainly interesting. I've spoken to many of my friends about this, and there are generally 2 reactions. The first is surprise, because they just don't know what things are like outside of their area. The second group is well aware of the area, and just doesn't understand why someone would choose to live downtown. I feel like after learning, the first group tends to become the second group, rather than becoming someone who wants to help solve these problems. It's much, much easier to run from an ugly situation than to put in effort to fix it. Those most capable are often the first leave. I don't blame them though, I begin to feel the same way. I don't see any action at the levels of government that can actually make a difference, and me writing MPs and MPPs doesn't force them to take action.
I did work downtown as teenager about 10 years ago, but I was mostly in and out. I experienced drunk customers, and some crazy people in the city buses back then, but I didn't spend much time "on the street" so I can't really speak to whether it feels better now than 10 years ago.
(09-02-2020, 10:48 PM)tomh009 Wrote:(09-02-2020, 10:14 PM)plam Wrote: I'm not a super big fan of adding to the police budget to get more police officers downtown, but if it had to be police, they should not be in cars. Probably better is something like what I saw in Wellington the other day: there were these people who had vests inscribed "Maori Warden". They are not police officers but their (volunteer) job is to encourage Maori to stay out of trouble. It may work better when there is more of a culture of listening to elders.
Most cops on DTK are walking, or sometimes on bicycles. Much better than intimidating police SUVs.
I do see bicycle cops which is great, but I've really only seen cops walking if they just parked their car to respond to something. Obviously the role of police (or even very existence) has been become a very sensitive topic, so I don't want to start a debate. But as someone who has known police, and has only neutral or positive experiences with them, I like the idea of having a local "police booth" downtown. The idea being that it forces them to be more in tune with the reality of the street, but also to develop relationships with the local area on the ground. Of course, I also understand the opposition to having a constant police presence in an area.
Also, the idea of having "Wardens" meant to keep a specific identifiable group out of trouble seems comically controversial.
(09-02-2020, 11:28 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: It's funny, I've lived in a few parts of DTK, and I feel like these things are pretty localized. I don't walk at night all that much anymore, when I did I usually just walked in the residential neighbourhood I abutted--at the time I lived about 5 blocks or so from King, it was pretty uneventful, much more so than where we are now--which is only three blocks closer to King. We've had a few experiences...but nothing as bad as you've described. I've called the police for two different verbal altercations (one male-male, one male-woman-male--that was especially concerning), that I felt were turning physical, both of which I stayed to observe from a distance, and in both cases eventually resolved before the police arrived. I called the police twice for a drunk driving collision right at my home--one was a double fatality, the other was just property damage, that certainly has me worried.
The most threatening situation I've been in occurred downtown but did not involve someone from downtown, I was cycling along Water, the car behind me was well behaved, the driver behind them was so offended that at the next light he swerved into the oncoming lane and started screaming at the driver of the van behind me, I turned around and asked him to calm down, he got out of his vehicle and too a swing at me. I dropped my bike and ran for King shouting for police, which...well...was effectiving in getting him to jump pack in his car, turn around and drive up the sidewalk the other way.
We do get homeless people sleeping in our building's vestibule (and occasionally doing other less savoury things), and I'll admit, I will use the back door if I notice them.
When I do go walking I generally just walk out of the downtown core...to be honest, the core is so small it's reasonably easy for me to avoid.
Living downtown definitely puts you face to face with things that folks sequestered in their suburbs and SUVs can fairly easily isolate themselves from, but I wish more people were faced with the realities in our city, perhaps then they'd be more willing to spend time and money solving these problems.
I dunno though, I'm sorry to hear about your experiences...I do hope things improve with the new buildings going up...more people in DTK is a good thing in that regard.
Also...
"North of Weber"...come on...we know better than to use cardinal directions in the CoK...
A few days ago I was walking on Church street and had a stand off with a cat and a squirel...quite the experience.
(09-03-2020, 12:17 AM)Acitta Wrote: That is interesting. I have lived in Kitchener for 19 years and other than some troublesome roommates and bike theft, I haven't experienced anything like you describe. In fact the downtown has greatly improved since I first moved here.
Yes, it's been quite interesting. I've spent approximately 21 years in this city, and everything I wrote has been just within the last 3 years downtown. I am located about as centrally as possible, so it's possibly a factor if you are all even just a few blocks out. But since I've only experienced this downtown, in my mind it's a downtown problem. Of course there are people downtown who go a lifetime with no problems, and people in the suburbs who get mugged multiple times in their life, so there is an element of chance to it. Maybe I've just been exceptionally unlucky.
The folks further out being insulated from our urban reality is certainly interesting. I've spoken to many of my friends about this, and there are generally 2 reactions. The first is surprise, because they just don't know what things are like outside of their area. The second group is well aware of the area, and just doesn't understand why someone would choose to live downtown. I feel like after learning, the first group tends to become the second group, rather than becoming someone who wants to help solve these problems. It's much, much easier to run from an ugly situation than to put in effort to fix it. Those most capable are often the first leave. I don't blame them though, I begin to feel the same way. I don't see any action at the levels of government that can actually make a difference, and me writing MPs and MPPs doesn't force them to take action.
I did work downtown as teenager about 10 years ago, but I was mostly in and out. I experienced drunk customers, and some crazy people in the city buses back then, but I didn't spend much time "on the street" so I can't really speak to whether it feels better now than 10 years ago.