Wanting Nice Things and Discrimination

s211 · #1 Posted **Mar 4, 2015, 4:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CMD UW

While I've seen a fair share of punks loitering the halls of City Centre, I personally haven't experienced anything of the sort. Perhaps there are 'hot zones' that need to be dealt with.

When I visit Edmonton, I struggle to understand how City Centre has let itself crumble into some sort of distopian "lord of the flies", especially the original (east) portion of the mall.

[Edit: please note that my post was in reply to another post and that I did not create the name of this thread.]

Rocket252 · #2 Posted **Mar 4, 2015, 5:11 PM**

An aggressive downtown enforcement plan is needed or any gains made drawing people to live downtown will be gone.

The Churchill square/Library corner is the worst

Coldrsx · #3 Posted **Mar 4, 2015, 5:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocket252

An aggressive downtown enforcement plan is needed or any gains made drawing people to live downtown will be gone.

The Churchill square/Library corner is the worst

EPS, Sheriffs and our downtown officers have made an impact in those areas, but still not enough. We really do need to address the situation for it does indeed set us back. That said, more people in the area will assist with this issue as other things open.

SHOFEAR · #4 Posted **Mar 4, 2015, 5:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by s211

When I visit Edmonton, I struggle to understand how City Centre has let itself crumble into some sort of distopian "lord of the flies", especially the original (east) portion of the mall.

social/poverty activists. That's why.

Hallsy's Toupee · #5 Posted **Mar 4, 2015, 5:41 PM**

I've witnessed more riff raff in the downtown pedway system. But some of the buildings, such as Commerce Place, Manulife and City Centre, have increased their security presence.

Coldrsx · #6 Posted **Mar 4, 2015, 6:14 PM**

Vinesh Pratap from Global has been following either SSP or C2E with regards to crime, vandalism, disorder posts and has requested an interview with DECL.

Hallsy's Toupee · #7 Posted **Mar 13, 2015, 5:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Vinesh Pratap from Global has been following either SSP or C2E with regards to crime, vandalism, disorder posts and has requested an interview with DECL.

http://globalnews.ca/video/1880296/e...-downtown-boom

No DECLers in the piece but a couple of other familiar faces.

Coldrsx · #8 Posted **Mar 13, 2015, 4:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hallsy's Toupee

http://globalnews.ca/video/1880296/e...-downtown-boom

No DECLers in the piece but a couple of other familiar faces.

We were asked, timing didn't work.

240glt · #9 Posted **Apr 14, 2015, 9:13 PM**

According to the Journal, council has approved 89 new officers, including 40 for downtown, as new statistics show a 22% increase in violent crime downtown over the same period last year

Daveography · #10 Posted **Mar 4, 2015, 6:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by s211

When I visit Edmonton, I struggle to understand how City Centre has let itself crumble into some sort of distopian "lord of the flies", especially the original (east) portion of the mall.

Now you're just being overly dramatic.

The real key of course is to keep working on the underlying social causes: breaking the cycles of poverty, homelessness, and substance abuse, and ensuring education and social programs continue to be available and promoted. At some point we have to recognize these things actually cost us all far less than the impacts of crime and policing and in the process making our city safer and more inclusive.

s211 · #11 Posted **Mar 4, 2015, 7:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daveography

Now you're just being overly dramatic.

The real key of course is to keep working on the underlying social causes: breaking the cycles of poverty, homelessness, and substance abuse, and ensuring education and social programs continue to be available and promoted. At some point we have to recognize these things actually cost us all far less than the impacts of crime and policing and in the process making our city safer and more inclusive.

Dramatic? To make a point, of course.

City Centre is not a happy place to shop. It looks and feels left adrift, it really does. And when things are left adrift, good things rarely happen.

Daveography · #12 Posted **Mar 4, 2015, 7:45 PM**

^ Can you expand on that? I must be shopping at a different Edmonton City Centre than you, your experiences make it sound like you accidentally wandered into Millbourne Mall or something.

s211 · #13 Posted **Mar 4, 2015, 8:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daveography

^ Can you expand on that? I must be shopping at a different Edmonton City Centre than you, your experiences make it sound like you accidentally wandered into Millbourne Mall or something.

The look and feel of City Centre east feels dark and uninviting. The unfortunate west entrance, with the bus stop outside, feels like a Greyhound waiting area. The disjointed flow between floors results in circuitous foot traffic. The lack of meaningful retail outlets in CC East makes it more of a place to walk through to keep warm than go to and shop.

The number of dodgy people purely loitering about in the mall and lack of meaningful security presence doesn't exactly encourage one to linger and shop. And where the heck do all the low-end gangsta wannabees come from?

Compared to Calgary's downtown mall, Edmonton's City Centre mall isn't even in the same league. It's like MLB versus the farm team, on a good day. Or compare each city's Holt Renfrew. Night and day.

Not saying Calgary's Core is the be all and end all, but side-by-side, ECC is as embarrassing as can be. It does not sell Edmonton favourably.

I've known and lived Edmonton Centre since the days of Phase 1, even before the central court opened. What was once a flourishing, vibrant mall now feels like it's on permanent life support, and forgot to sign a DNR form.

Black Star · #14 Posted **Mar 4, 2015, 10:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by s211

The look and feel of City Centre east feels dark and uninviting. The unfortunate west entrance, with the bus stop outside, feels like a Greyhound waiting area. The disjointed flow between floors results in circuitous foot traffic. The lack of meaningful retail outlets in CC East makes it more of a place to walk through to keep warm than go to and shop.

The number of dodgy people purely loitering about in the mall and lack of meaningful security presence doesn't exactly encourage one to linger and shop. And where the heck do all the low-end gangsta wannabees come from?

Compared to Calgary's downtown mall, Edmonton's City Centre mall isn't even in the same league. It's like MLB versus the farm team, on a good day. Or compare each city's Holt Renfrew. Night and day.

Not saying Calgary's Core is the be all and end all, but side-by-side, ECC is as embarrassing as can be. It does not sell Edmonton favourably.

I've known and lived Edmonton Centre since the days of Phase 1, even before the central court opened. What was once a flourishing, vibrant mall now feels like it's on permanent life support, and forgot to sign a DNR form.

You nailed it.

SHOFEAR · #15 Posted **Mar 4, 2015, 10:56 PM**

I'm I out to lunch when i say that it's very possible that the Dollar Store is the busiest store in the mall? maaaybe second after the Bay?

And that right there is the problem.

Chicken and egg I guess.

MrOilers · #16 Posted **Mar 5, 2015, 8:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by s211

TThe number of dodgy people purely loitering about in the mall and lack of meaningful security presence doesn't exactly encourage one to linger and shop. And where the heck do all the low-end gangsta wannabees come from?

I noticed this, too. Seems worse than ever.

My theory is that mall security is letting people loiter. it seemed to start after they kicked that outreach out of the food court which it resulted that big news story about how poorly the mall treats the "vulnerable" members of society.

SHOFEAR · #17 Posted **Mar 5, 2015, 8:53 PM**

I'm sure this is also a fairly regular occurrence at CC. Think this happens at Southgate?

• Video Link

Xelebes · #18 Posted **Mar 6, 2015, 4:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrOilers

I noticed this, too. Seems worse than ever.

My theory is that mall security is letting people loiter. it seemed to start after they kicked that outreach out of the food court which it resulted that big news story about how poorly the mall treats the "vulnerable" members of society.

It isn't the vulnerable members of society, it was the racial profiling of aboriginal community members as trouble makers or undesirables.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rapid_business

Holy crap....can we get back to talking about development?

Perhaps.

MrOilers · #19 Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 6:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xelebes

It isn't the vulnerable members of society, it was the racial profiling of aboriginal community members as trouble makers or undesirables.

Fair point, but often times the people are both.

I think City Center Mall is a bit hesitant to escort some undesirable people off their property for fears of being called "racist" in the public again (if the undesirable person happens to be First Nations).

CMD UW · #20 Posted **Mar 5, 2015, 4:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daveography

^ Can you expand on that? I must be shopping at a different Edmonton City Centre than you, your experiences make it sound like you accidentally wandered into Millbourne Mall or something.

I agree. While CC needs a make over, it doesn't feel like it's adrift. And I'm in the mall daily.