Chinatown businesses look to the future as operations center to promote safety nears completion – Edmonton
A two-year pilot project to combat crime and social unrest in Chinatown is coming to an end. This comes as the community and city attempt to maintain neighborhood revitalization efforts.
The Healthy Streets Operation Center launched in 2022 as a collaborative project between Edmonton police, social workers and other front-line staff.
City staff collected information on crime-related incidents in the neighborhood. The creation of the center is one of several actions promised by the city to address an increase in violent crime downtown, in neighboring Chinatown and in the public transit system.
But the pilot will end in December.
Sandy Pon, president of the Chinatown Transformative Collaborative, said she knew the pilot project was temporary, but hoped it would continue.
“The idea of the center is to build confidence in the neighborhood to deal with social disorder. Having more practical services in the region to deal with the crisis we are going through,” Pon said.
She believes the last two years have made a difference and strengthened relationships between community members and service workers.
Pon adds that while the data may show an increase in incidents, it does not give the complete picture.
“More reporting doesn’t mean more is happening. It happened there. But this is causing community members to step up,” Pon said.
“It all depends on everyone’s interpretation. When there is an increase in reporting, it does not mean there is more crime. This showed us that there are more reports from community members. This shows us that there was confidence to come forward.
Some community members say the Healthy Streets Operational Center has not only improved safety in the neighborhood, but they have also started to see an increase in visitors returning to the neighborhood.
Despite this, companies say there is still work to be done and it is a matter of maintaining momentum.
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Phong Luu is the owner of Kim Fat Market Ltd. He grew up in Chinatown and noticed the fluctuation from bustle to empty streets.
He has been the victim of vandalism and several burglaries at his store in recent years. He applauds the work of the Healthy Streets Operations Center.
“It made a difference. I mean, obviously, when you have law enforcement officers and firefighters and firefighters around here, it deters crime. It helps everyone feel comfortable in this community,” Luu explained. “With the members of the EPS coming down, there is a feeling of security. It’s like a big brother takes care of you.
“People always say that PE is not necessary. The police are not necessary. This is totally false. The EPS members here are actually very good. They talk to the homeless. They pump their fists. They come to our businesses and monitor us,” he added.
Luu says he had to reduce his hours, from 7 p.m. to 5 p.m., to keep his family and staff safe.
With the establishment of the Healthy Streets Operations Center, he noticed an interdependence between several organizations coming together to solve the problems they face as business owners.
“Clearly the need for the homeless is not there. Ultimately, they are our brothers and sisters too and we empathize with them. The fact is, as a business community, we cannot tolerate this influx of vandalism and break-ins. It’s just not good for business, it’s not good for anyone.
“We all come together to solve a problem. but the problem is more than we can handle,” Luu said.
Restaurant owner Hoay Tang says there needs to be more emphasis on supporting Edmonton’s homeless community.
He thinks the disorder has gotten out of control and his neighborhood is no longer safe.
Tang says his restaurant was packed when it opened in 2010. He lost 70 percent of his customers.
“(It’s) very sad. No customers come and we can’t do anything,” Tang said.
The Edmonton Police Service says the sector will continue to be supported by the service and will continue to fund its portion of Healthy Streets operations.
“Community Safety Teams, the EPS component of HSOC that combines police officers and AHS paramedics, will continue their dedicated work in this geographic area for the foreseeable future and will be funded internally by EPS,” said Edmonton police spokesperson Cheryl Voordenhout in a statement.
“HSOC has demonstrated the effectiveness of a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to addressing community safety and well-being concerns. This approach will therefore continue in the future when problems are identified by citizens or by statistical data. The efficiencies identified during the HSOC also help EPS develop strategies to address similar issues across the city,” Voordenhout added.
At Wednesday’s city council executive meeting, councilors were given a presentation regarding the initiatives and their progress in Chinatown.
Councilors also approved a motion to transfer more than $400,000 from the Downtown Vibrancy Fund to the Chinatown Vibrancy Fund as the city develops its long-term strategy.
“I’ve emphasized from day one that Chinatown has been neglected for decades and we need to reinvest in the community, which we are doing,” Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said Wednesday in an interview between council meetings.
Luu thanks her loyal customers for keeping her business running. With the safety improvements he’s seen over the past two years, he hopes more Edmontonians will return to Chinatown.
“Come and the more people who come to support our community, in the long term it will be vibrant,” he said.
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