A business association in Nanaimo is calling on the city to fund more services in the downtown area.
The Victoria Cresent Association says the city has pulled funding for its downtown safety office over concern about the safety of the staff.
A city report recently pointed to several incidents where agitated people, some carrying baseball bats, entered the office to demand personal belongings back.
The association says, “when the city fears for the safety of its own employees, that’s definitely when Nanaimo council should be bolstering resources downtown and not closing the office.”
Association president Kevan Shaw says, “more policing, bylaw and mental health workers are needed to cope with the open drug use and crime.”
The Victoria Cresent Association says Nanaimo should not move the safety office to city hall as planned when the downtown core needs additional services.
