A survey conducted by the Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Group found that 37% of businesses in the Westwood area said they have been negatively affected by the shelter at 3030 Gordon Ave.
Sandy Burpee, the chair of the task group, compiled the results and said businesses where concerns were flagged tended to be shops targeted for shoplifting and restaurants where washrooms, phones and food are available.
He also noted that several businesses said their customers had been exposed to panhandling, loitering and other “anti-social behaviours.”
But Burpee told Coquitlam city council Monday that it was difficult to determine whether some of the issues were directly associated with the shelter.
“The impacts of homelessness in the Tri-Cities go far beyond what we can expect [shelter operator] RainCity to resolve,” he said in an email to The Tri-City News. “Homelessness is a feature of the Tri-Cities, with or without a 3030 Gordon shelter, and only a broad partnership and goodwill is going to be effective in addressing it.”
He added that neighbours are often unable to distinguish between people who are actually staying at the shelter and those who may just be hanging around in the area.
Burpee said that RainCity had received consistently “high marks for responsiveness to neighbour concerns when contacted.”
THE BUSINESSES
John Sinkie, a mechanic who has run an auto repair shop in the area since 1991, said the 37% figure cited by Burpee seems low. Many of the business owners in the area with whom he has spoken have complained about issues emanating from the shelter, ranging from people loitering in front of store fronts to finding needles and trash on their property, he said.
But Sinkie acknowledged the city has been responsive to his complaints, and while he wouldn’t say things are getting better, they have not gotten worse.
Sinkie said he decided early on in the process that he would get involved. Currently, he sits on a committee that comprises area business owners and shelter representatives, and said he has taken the time to speak with some of the people who use the facility.
There have been some improvements since the shelter opened in December 2015, Sinkie added. Initially, for example, he said finding needles was a regular occurrence but that has been better since RainCity initiated daily garbage pickups in the area.
Still, he said he would like to see a security guard posted at 3030 Gordon to keep an eye on the neighbourhood and protect people inside the shelter.
And with the weather changing, he expects more people will be in the area, particularly since the facility is considering using BC Housing money to turn its extreme-weather emergency dorm into daily-use shelter space from late fall to early spring.
“In the winter, it gets very busy around here,” Sinkie said. “That does concern me.”
Chris McNaught, an employee at a bike shop in the area, told The Tri-City News there have been instances of shoplifting in the store but it’s difficult to say whether those could be attributed to shelter residents.
He added that while he does not personally have an issue with the facility, many of the customers he deals with do.
“People get their bike stolen and they blame the shelter,” he said. “But it’s Vancouver — you’re going to get your bike stolen anywhere.”
THE POLICE
Coquitlam RCMP Const. Michael McLaughlin said police have been monitoring crime statistics in the area since 3030 Gordon opened and have not seen a trend “either upward or downward.”
He added that officers have been in close contact with the shelter operators over the last two years, which has made it easier to resolve issues before they become a problem for the community.
McLaughlin encouraged people in the area to report all suspicious activities and call 911 if they see a crime in progress. Even non-emergencies should be reported by calling 604-945-1550. “We are here to help,” he said. “We can’t respond unless people tell us what is going on.”
Thirty-nine businesses participated in the task group’s survey, with the majority located along Gordon Avenue, Christmas Way and both sides of Westwood Street one block north and one block south of the shelter. Seven businesses were not included either because they were not open or there were language barriers with the staff.
Some of the issues that have arisen in the neighbourhood Burpee attributes to the growth of overall homelessness in the Tri-Cities and the Metro Vancouver region. In his presentation, he said the public disorder can generally be traced to untreated mental health issues or people sourcing cash to feed a drug or alcohol addiction.
“Homelessness has been increasing since 2013 and continues to go up,” Burpee said. “I think that along with the increase in the homeless population in the Tri-Cities and elsewhere has really made a big difference in the behaviours on the street.”
@gmckennaTC
