I walk through City Centre almost daily and have very few problems myself. That being said, I'm a well-built, decently dressed, normal young white male. The most I get is the odd guy asking for change. Can't say I really see much bad actually going on. I think a lot of this fear is simply based on appearances of people and, sadly, race. Somebody brought up Calgary and how their city centre mall feels so much safer and cleaner. Who can honestly tell me that the demographics of the two downtowns don't play into that? The number of aboriginal and black people, especially younger men that you will see there absolutely dwarfs Calgary. But if you get past the race and the dress, how many real problems can you honestly see? Now, then there are the spots where the homeless frequent and I can say the same thing. How often are they actually bothering you?
But I can understand the feeling. Especially for somebody who isn't completely used to it like we are. For instance, I don't think my grandmother would be comfortable in a lot of these spots with the characters that hang out, and if somebody like her wouldn't be comfortable then that seems like an issue that needs addressing to me.
Totally concur with those who said the 101st bus stop area needs to be cleaned up, as well as the Churchill/Library corners.
Side note...I was at the Milner Library this evening and this well-dressed, attractive university-aged Chinese girl dozed off next to me. I was waiting for the security to come give her the boot, but it didn't happen.