Osborne Village will soon have some additional foot traffic in the form of safety ambassadors.
As with other areas of Winnipeg, the Village has had issues over the years with vagrancy, theft and most recently a hoax warning of a nuclear attack.
Now, it is getting its own foot patrol program, thanks to some new funding from the City of Winnipeg.
Mayor Brian Bowman said in front of the Village Square Bell Tower Wednesday the city will give $30,000 to help establish the Osborne Village BIZ foot patrol ambassador program.
“Safety ambassador and foot patrol programs operated by business improvement zones are a highly visible, well understood, and effective safety resource,” Bowman said.
“I am pleased to assist the Osborne Village BIZ with establishing their first foot patrol program which has been identified as a high priority for their members as well as residents living in the area,” Bowman added.
The Osborne Village BIZ was originally denied funding earlier this year when the city allocated $90,000 to enhance existing safe walk and foot patrol programs run by the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, the West End BIZ, and the Exchange District BIZ.
The program will have safety ambassadors out on Village sidewalks starting in May.
They will wear uniforms and carry identification so they are easy to spot for people looking for help. They will also available to walk people to their homes, cars or work.
“We have lots of seniors here in Osborne Village some of them just don’t feel safe making the walk from their apartment, from their homes to Safeway to Shoppers Drug Mart and they just want that extra hand,” Stephanie Meilleur, executive director of Osborne Village BIZ, said.
“We will have 6 people that are on a rotating basis and they will be operating weekday days, weekday evenings as well as all weekends,” Meilleur said.
The BIZ is chipping in $27,000 to help foot the bill for the pilot program which they hope becomes a permanent fixture in the village.