Eem-er and I met somebody new to the island today at Bosley's Pet Store. Welcome home, Diago. It's a small world, but it's gonna be beautiful. Good boy. Merry Christmas.
As if that wasn't enough...it seems the City of Nanaimo has given this neighbourhood an early holiday gift....
City's anti-drug red zone grows
Lawyers request expansion of no-go area to reduce drug dealing downtown
Paul Walton , Daily News
Published: Tuesday, December 11, 2007
The success of Nanaimo's controversial red zone has resulted in it being expanded.Following the arrests of 22 people in a large drug sweep in mid-November, federal Crown lawyers began asking the courts to increase the size of the zone, after much of the undercover drug dealing was found to be on the outskirts of the Victoria Crescent area."We noticed that the action was moving up Victoria Road," said federal prosecutor Brian Jones.
The zone originally included Victoria Crescent and surrounding streets for two blocks. It is now bounded by Esplanade Street, Milton Street, Fitzwilliam and Bastion Streets and Front Street. That now takes in the Old City Quarter, Commercial Street and the Haliburton Street area north of Milton Street.Jones said the expansion is not because the drug problem is spreading to those areas, but it is being pushed there by the effectiveness of the original red zone. "According to police it's popping up all over the downtown area," he said.Randy Churchill, manager of the city's bylaws department, said though the red zone is administered by the police and courts, the city supports the idea and benefits from it."We have absolute faith in the way it's being dealt with," said Churchill. "It has a very positive effect."Jones cited a recent decision from the Court of Appeal for B.C. upholding a red zone in Victoria. The court said it is not punitive, but assists in keeping drug users from temptation as it cuts them off from easy access to their supply."It's mainly designed to help these people," said Jones.The idea has been criticized for keeping people from resources they may require in the area, but Jones said they can easily enter the zone if they have written permission from a bail or sentence supervisor.He cited the Salvation Army New Hope Centre on Nicol Street as possibly offering assistance.PWalton@nanaimodailynews.com250-729-4230
© The Daily News (Nanaimo) 2007
11 comments:
Well, Merry Christmas!
Gawilli
Yeah, that'll cure the problem, sure.
Chilled, it won't cure anything, but it will be a tool to help us here... one that I, for one, am grateful for.
I agree it won't cure the problem, but I am glad that the problem may not be living at your front gate anymore!!
It must be like opening a present early. I'll have to ask Em what a red zone is...whatever, if it means a cleaner street in every regard, then it must be something good.
Woohoo! Good news!
That's great news!!! Although...they are just pushing it closer to me. I think they should make the entire south end a red zone. Yeah!
Some good news, for a change! I'm happy for you. Even small steps in the right direction is a good thing.
It is like a horrible board game, Olly, and I hope that they peddlers don't move en masse again somewhere. Maybe with a larger red zone, they will decentralize a bit. We still have the crackhouse up the alley here. Will be interesting to see how that is handled with this red zone policy.
I think if the city was brave enough to seize Hell's Angels property, then they should seize this property. It is owner occupied.
well dilling how are yaÉ
i am finally back om line and have just spent sometime checking out what you have spent soooooo much time on yourself...looks great!!
i think is great that the red zone has been expanded (as long as THEY actually deal with the hurt people) when i drove home from work this morning there was NOBODY on the street... in the summer there would be as many as 60 people!!
so cheers and talk to ya...BRDNRD
"We noticed that the action was moving up Victoria Road,"
...hmmm someone must have said something...
good news indeed missus.
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