Concerns resurface over Wheeler Street house

Traffic in and out of a downtown house is raising concerns of nearby residents once again, as is the future of housing in the neighbourhood.

Traffic in and out of a downtown house is raising concerns of nearby residents once again, as is the future of housing in the neighbourhood.

John Pattimore, a director of the Downtown Residents Association, said Thursday the group’s annual general meeting, held Wednesday night, saw some side discussion about a property on Wheeler Street. It had been shut down under the territory’s Safer Communities and Neighbourhood (SCAN) legislation.

Residents also brought forward issues about the lack of diverse housing being built in the community.

Pattimore suggested the recent activity at the Wheeler Street property, which he described as a “garbage dump yard”, indicates SCAN officials will have to decide whether further action can be taken on the property.

The SCAN legislation allows for tenants to be evicted from properties where there are illegal activities such as prostitution, drug activity or bootlegging.

Activities have ceased and, in many cases, tenants have been evicted at some residences where SCAN has become involved.

As Pattimore noted, in many situations, landlords may not realize what’s happening at the residence being rented out and will take action when they learn of the situation.

“What happens when it’s the owner?” he questioned.

He suggested officials may have to end up looking further at the act to see what other options are available to deal with owners involved in the illicit activity at the residence.

Despite the issues on Wheeler Street, Pattimore said, he is pleased with the impact SCAN has had on the community in shutting down drug houses and the like.

“And I’m sure it’s not just downtown,” he said.

For SCAN to be effective, he stressed, residents have to report what they see so officials can take action.

The association acts more as a referral, telling concerned citizens who to contact when they witness illegal activities.

Liberal House Leader Gary McRobb, meanwhile, argued during question period Thursday the SCAN legislation may need to be changed to deal with such situations.

“Neighbours are upset about this particular residence being back in business,” he said.

“We need to know what the particular weakness is with the SCAN legislation so we can attempt to fix it.

If we need to amend the legislation, the (Justice) minister has to act very quickly, otherwise, the next opportunity won’t be until next fall.

“How can the minister explain that SCAN can be fixed so it can be effective in applying its intended purpose on the street?”

Justice Minister Marian Horne continued to state the program is working and effective in its efforts to stop illegal activities.

“Residents have voluntarily ceased their illegal activities in 20 locations,” she said.

“If these activities move and we receive complaints, our SCAN officials will investigate the complaints and locations.

We are very pleased that the SCAN program has provided a way to respond to the illegal activities in our communities.”

The redevelopment of several sites in the neighbourhood is also creating some concerns for area residents as they watch condo developments continue to spring up.

“It changes the mix of the place,” Pattimore said.

A neighbourhood primarily consisting of condos takes away from the variety of people who make up a community, he pointed out.

Typically, condos are purchased by professionals without kids who can afford the high-priced residences.

“It’s not affordable,” Pattimore said of the many condo developments in the area.

A mix of social housing, affordable housing, single-family homes and even newer initiatives like co-operative housing where all residents own the entire property would make for a more diverse neighbourhood, he suggested, adding he has a particular interest in urban sustainable development.

Others have also expressed concerns about the appearance of galvanized siding on many of the new developments, arguing there should be design guidelines for the neighbourhood.

As the association’s board heads into its 2008 year, Pattimore said, the first order of business next week will be assigning officer roles to directors like himself.

That could mean he serves another term as president, something he said he’s willing to do, as he is to work as a general director.

After selecting officer positions, Pattimore said the organization will likely focus its efforts on “ramping up” communications with the neighbourhood.

An Internet forum and a quarterly mail-out are among the ideas on how the association will get its message out and work on continuing issues, such as possibly collaborating with the Escarpment Park Society on fixing up the trail along the clay cliffs.