North-side neighborhood takes action for their own safety

Kristjanson was born and raised in Lethbridge and has always been a ‘north-sider’. She explained the ‘community’, encompassing blocks from fifth through seventh avenue, first came together three weeks ago because of continual problems in the area.

“We need to do this – inviting all of us to stand together because our children’s safety is number one. Clearly resources that are given to individuals who are struggling with homelessness and drug addictions aren’t working – this is a vicious cycle that continues to go on, over and over again.”

The observation that current actions and resources ‘aren’t working’, is shared by at least one member of City Council.

Kristjanson said that after the first child in the city was pricked by a needle, it should have been the last time.

“But how many other kids are vulnerable and now a second child is going through testing and having to deal with this.”

According to Kristjanson, “No parent should have to scour a park for dirty needles or go into their own backyard to see intravenous drug users out there shooting up where their children play.”

“We have so many justifications but, ultimately, if we look at the big picture, what we’re doing for individuals who are struggling isn’t working. If it was, we would be promoting rehabilitation, promoting treatments and supportive housing. We need to help people not be confined to trauma, but to heal it. I see it every single day as a volunteer on the streets.”

“We assist people, we provide naloxone kits and water and nothing is changing. We need to stand together and say ‘enough is enough’ – no woman should be sexually assaulted as she’s walking two houses down to see a friend. That’s not OK.”

Kristjanson is referring to a woman who was sexually assaulted in an alley not far from where they were gathered.

The culprits responsible for the assault have not been identified and the incident was the impetus for the neighborhood coming together.

However, it wasn’t a singular event.

Tina Hill has been living on the north side for the past year and has experienced more in that year than most would deal with in several decades.

One particular evening, they watched a van swerving down their street but they couldn’t get the license plate number. About an hour later, the same van was seen roaring down the alley, nearly hitting neighbors who were walking their dog. Then just before 11:00-pm they heard a loud crash outside their home. The same van had hit a light standard, causing it to crash through their fence and into their yard.

“My husband screamed to call 911 and I went outside to see the driver putting the vehicle in reverse, but he was hung up on the pole, trying to get away. My husband went to the driver’s side to pull the man out and noticed the driver had a needle in his arm.”

“At that point the vehicle became dislodged and started rolling down the street. My husband ran after it to put it into park and was bit in the butt by a dog in the van. He then noticed there were needles all over in the van.”

Police told the Hills that the driver was well known to them. She said her husband is physically and mentally drained because he doesn’t sleep at night, worrying about people stealing stuff or shooting-up in their backyard, as they’ve repeatedly caught thieves trying to break into cars or stealing gas.

Hill says her husband tried to run after a person who broke into their neighbor’s car on the street, and they are dealing with a meth house four houses down the back alley. She says the worst is the volume of traffic that their surveillance cameras catch in the alley, showing about 20-people a day going in and out of the meth house.

Kristjanson says when the group first came together, they developed a simple plan – get to really know their neighbors because there’s strength in numbers.

North-side neighbors gather in the street for a community meeting — LNN

“To get to know each other enough that maybe if we have citizens on patrol, citizens taking pictures and collaboration through community groups such as Bikers Building Bridges – those are collaborations that we want, so we can keep our community safe.”

The group has posted signs on trees and fences, encouraging neighbors to report crime and indicating the streets are covered by video surveillance.

“Many of us have put security cameras up and we’re blessed that we now have The Watch in our area and I don’t think The Watch gets enough credit for what they do everyday”

The neighborhood group has even kept a record of incidents and the number of non-local individuals who frequent the neighborhood. They indicate their own stats show their efforts are working as they now have other neighborhood residents asking what their doing to make a difference.

They kept a count of people in the area and noted dozens of people who don’t live in the area were wandering around the streets and going into resident’s yards. Ever since the group put up signs and have made themselves visible in the streets, the number of non-residents in the area has dropped 92 per cent, “Individuals not wandering around the street, not going into backyards, not trying to break into our homes in broad daylight.”

They want City Council to recognize that the ineffective support services provided to individuals who face chronic homelessness, is not working.

“It isn’t working for the service users, it’s draining front line workers – it is just a whole lot of band-aids, instead of an actual solution. We have had one City Council member come to our meetings and he is fiercely advocating for safety, for change for parents, children, random residents and service users.”

“We are not finger pointing, we are saying we need to come together as a community and look for solutions – that’s what City Council needs – solutions.”

Ultimately, Kristjanson says they have come together as one small segment of the community to look out for each other and create safety.

“I only wish that the rest of the community would come together and stand against what’s happening, because we know it isn’t just a north side issue, but we need to come together in unity and create safety for everybody.”

by Dori Modney and photographer Brandyn Montgomery

North-side neighborhood takes action for their own safety

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