Members of the Downtown Lethbridge Business Revitalization Zone said on Monday that they’re committed to creating a safe, secure downtown and are willing to work with the city on potential solutions to combat issues related to the drug crisis.
The BRZ has reported a year-on-year sales decline, which they attribute to a number of factors, including panhandling and shoplifting, as well as the perception that the downtown area is unsafe.
“People are putting stuff out on social media that, as a downtown business owner who comes to the downtown everyday, I know that that’s not true,” said BRZ board member Stephen Mogdan. “I know that that is portraying things in an unfair light and that leads to some perception, quite possibly, where people are saying ‘Well, maybe I shouldn’t be coming downtown. I’m worried about what happens downtown.'”
The group says the threat posed by Lethbridge’s current drug crisis impacts the economic viability of their businesses.
“We deal with minor problems every day but we have for years, and a lot of the problem that’s going on is the perception we have on social media now. If you have one needle found, it gets 10,000 hits. I’m not saying it’s not happening because it is; we want to stop that as well,” Mogdan added.
The BRZ says it’s prepared to support current and proposed programs in any way, including working with Lethbridge’s Heart of Our City Committee and giving funds to assist the downtown policing unit.
“The more presence that there is on the streets in the downtown, the better things are going to be for everyone downtown, whether you’re a business owner or you’re a client or customer of businesses,” Mogdan said.
Council is being asked to consider giving more funding to Lethbridge Police Service, with a possible tax increase suggested to cover the additional cost.
The organization also says they’re looking at funding private security for the downtown area.
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