The growing concerns that the drug abuse, homelessness, debris, and prostitution in Oshawa's downtown is worsening MUST BE faced head on.
Changes need to be put in place before the long COVID-19 summer of 2020.
Yes, good strides have been made in the past 18 months, and there are so many dedicated volunteers, organizations, agencies, committees, social service programs and departments in Oshawa and at the Region working to help make improvements: such as extending the Welcoming Streets initiative, with the Oshawa Unsheltered Residents Program, the expanded, now open daily with wrap-around services Mission United Hub at Simcoe St. United Church; the On-Point needle pick up program, the Camp Samac temporary shelter...
But it is time to have the hard discussion this month, June 2020. Priority recommendations can be made and follow-up actions begun before July 1st. There is a Special Council meeting this coming Tuesday regarding the BIA and a Regular Council meeting June 22nd. The matter should be added to the Agendas.
Look at the example of the City of Vernon B.C.'s 2018 task force 2018 priority recommendations, successes/pitfalls and continued discussions. Allow the words of Vernon Councillor Scott Anderson to sink in:
"It's not either we have empathy and caring, or we crack down on it... that is a false dichotomy that was set up by the last council and I think there's a happy medium where you can do both," ...
"We have to do something about the problems that exist in this town and take strong measures and at the same time... help the population that's causing these problems."
There's no benefit in glossing over or offering a glib sales pitch of future promises when so much appears to be unraveling and tanking now. A letter came to Council yesterday, which is now on the public agenda for the June 9th Council meeting. I will copy a section of it below. It should be a clarion call to Oshawa Council and Region Chair/former Oshawa Mayor Henry to stop the downward slide.
I hope Oshawa Mayor Carter, with his delegated powers of authority during the pandemic will add to the meeting Agenda the need for a report with an actionable plan to come to the regular council meeting June 22, so new priority measures can be put in place...all options should be on the table!
After having some intense discussions with unsheltered individuals, a methadone clinic client, social care workers, local business owners, municipal by-law and police officers and politicians, here are six potential measures:
1. Banning commercial shopping carts in public spaces.
2. Post better signage in Memorial Park that clearly states: no drug use, no entry on bandshell stage, no feeding birds or wildlife. This provides municipal by-law something to point to when telling people you must not do that.
3. Food and clothing distribution restrictions. Since the Mission United Hub is just around the corner and open daily for food, drinks and clothing, the multiplicity of the charitable giving at Memorial Park, while well-intended, is having unfortunate unintended consequences with added pressures on public resources and discouraging many people from feeling welcome and safe to use it.
4. Curtail the sleeping bag giveaways from the PCOP Primary Care Outreach Program.
5. Power wash the sidewalks as there are many stains from urine/defecation – the City has a commercial hot water power washer for cleaning graffiti which could be used to clean the sidewalks.
6. Open the bandshell exterior/accessible washrooms with manned attendants.
June 4 Letter from the CEO of the Oshawa Clinic Group
"We have a longstanding history with our organization in downtown Oshawa and value the improvements made over the past 10 - 15 years. Downtown Oshawa still has many very real challenges, many of which are not going to be solved by the BIA. These challenges require a much broader strategy from a municipal, regional & provincial strategy."
"Doubling the BIA budget year over year won't change the fact that our employees regularly fear walking to and from their vehicles everyday at offsite parking lots - we regularly have patients, physicians & employees accosted. Doubling the BIA budget is not going to change the fact that we have homeless set up 'tent cities' on our properties. Doubling the BIA budget is not going to stop homeless from defecating on our properties. Doubling the BIA budget is not going to stop the vandalism we experience to our properties. Doubling the BIA budget is not going to solve the drug problem in downtown Oshawa."
Changes need to be put in place before the long COVID-19 summer of 2020.
Yes, good strides have been made in the past 18 months, and there are so many dedicated volunteers, organizations, agencies, committees, social service programs and departments in Oshawa and at the Region working to help make improvements: such as extending the Welcoming Streets initiative, with the Oshawa Unsheltered Residents Program, the expanded, now open daily with wrap-around services Mission United Hub at Simcoe St. United Church; the On-Point needle pick up program, the Camp Samac temporary shelter...
But it is time to have the hard discussion this month, June 2020. Priority recommendations can be made and follow-up actions begun before July 1st. There is a Special Council meeting this coming Tuesday regarding the BIA and a Regular Council meeting June 22nd. The matter should be added to the Agendas.
Look at the example of the City of Vernon B.C.'s 2018 task force 2018 priority recommendations, successes/pitfalls and continued discussions. Allow the words of Vernon Councillor Scott Anderson to sink in:
"It's not either we have empathy and caring, or we crack down on it... that is a false dichotomy that was set up by the last council and I think there's a happy medium where you can do both," ...
"We have to do something about the problems that exist in this town and take strong measures and at the same time... help the population that's causing these problems."
There's no benefit in glossing over or offering a glib sales pitch of future promises when so much appears to be unraveling and tanking now. A letter came to Council yesterday, which is now on the public agenda for the June 9th Council meeting. I will copy a section of it below. It should be a clarion call to Oshawa Council and Region Chair/former Oshawa Mayor Henry to stop the downward slide.
I hope Oshawa Mayor Carter, with his delegated powers of authority during the pandemic will add to the meeting Agenda the need for a report with an actionable plan to come to the regular council meeting June 22, so new priority measures can be put in place...all options should be on the table!
After having some intense discussions with unsheltered individuals, a methadone clinic client, social care workers, local business owners, municipal by-law and police officers and politicians, here are six potential measures:
1. Banning commercial shopping carts in public spaces.
2. Post better signage in Memorial Park that clearly states: no drug use, no entry on bandshell stage, no feeding birds or wildlife. This provides municipal by-law something to point to when telling people you must not do that.
3. Food and clothing distribution restrictions. Since the Mission United Hub is just around the corner and open daily for food, drinks and clothing, the multiplicity of the charitable giving at Memorial Park, while well-intended, is having unfortunate unintended consequences with added pressures on public resources and discouraging many people from feeling welcome and safe to use it.
4. Curtail the sleeping bag giveaways from the PCOP Primary Care Outreach Program.
5. Power wash the sidewalks as there are many stains from urine/defecation – the City has a commercial hot water power washer for cleaning graffiti which could be used to clean the sidewalks.
6. Open the bandshell exterior/accessible washrooms with manned attendants.
June 4 Letter from the CEO of the Oshawa Clinic Group
"We have a longstanding history with our organization in downtown Oshawa and value the improvements made over the past 10 - 15 years. Downtown Oshawa still has many very real challenges, many of which are not going to be solved by the BIA. These challenges require a much broader strategy from a municipal, regional & provincial strategy."
"Doubling the BIA budget year over year won't change the fact that our employees regularly fear walking to and from their vehicles everyday at offsite parking lots - we regularly have patients, physicians & employees accosted. Doubling the BIA budget is not going to change the fact that we have homeless set up 'tent cities' on our properties. Doubling the BIA budget is not going to stop homeless from defecating on our properties. Doubling the BIA budget is not going to stop the vandalism we experience to our properties. Doubling the BIA budget is not going to solve the drug problem in downtown Oshawa."