From bike lanes to trash cans, businesses ask New West council for help

Editor's note: if you'd like to see the full recap of Monday night's council meeting, take a look at this Twitter thread.

It appeared to be a night of businesses speaking out at city council: some were based along Front Street, while one was based in the city's Uptown neighbourhood. 

Disappointed businesses

Three businesses asked the city to either help them or make changes to their respective issues: the owners of two businesses along Front Street asked council to help provide more resources, including garbage cans. 

"There's only five of us [businesses] down there. If we leave, that street is gone," said Brennan Williams, who owns Sugarrays Boxing Club, which is located on the east end of Front. "You will not recover it. It's gonna be done. All of the businesses down there are reconsidering our decision to be on that street, and how really valuable is it for us to be down there on a street that gets abandoned, when we watch other streets get bike lanes, and beautification, and beautiful planters?"

Williams asked whether it would be possible to bring I's on the Street, an outreach group, to help clean up the Front Street area more. Staff noted there'd recently been a grant approved for the group, but that they had to figure out how best to divide up the grant among each of the neighbourhoods participating in the project. 

I's on the Street operates in Sapperton, Uptown, and Downtown New West. 

"I think I heard him say he wants to see more garbage cans. How difficult and how challenging is it for us?" asked Coun. Daniel Fontaine. "When I look at the fact that we're investing $90,000 into a petting zoo master plan ... I'm struggling [with] how we cannot find a few dollars to put in a garbage can, or two, or three in front of your area." 

"Are the options to have a point person? Do we need to have a different neighbourhood of area plan? We need the continuity on Front Street because it was actually striking to see a dividing," noted Jaimie McEvoy, who was one of the councillors who took up Williams' offer to go on a walkalong with him. 

The third business was Beach House Tanning in Uptown New West. Owner Alicia Spanier spoke about the recently installed bike lanes, which are a part of the All Abilities and Ages transportation plan. Saying the bike lanes have negatively impacted her business, council green-lit a motion asking staff to check in with owners in the area, and to also see what options the city has available to help mitigate the issue of affected businesses as needed. 

Other issues from speakers

Two residents spoke about the Royal City moniker after Couns. Fontaine and Paul Minhas announced they'd introduce a number of motions; this issue among them. All seven motions will be placed on the Dec. 12 council agenda for discussion and decision.  

Another resident, Carmen Dunn, spoke about why she feels unsafe in her neighbourhood. Some examples Dunn cited included her car being broken into, adding it had become common to find needles in her area. 

She went on to suggest that the city find an organization that can clean up drug paraphernalia daily, that there be some kind of "feces hotline" so that people can report it to have it cleaned up, and to make sure the other municipalities are doing their fair share to create resources that will help support vulnerable people.

Why is City Hall lit up in orange?

The Grandmother Advocacy Network (GRANs) spoke ahead of a proclamation. Orange Days: Unite to End Violence against Women and Girls began on Nov. 25 and will end on Dec. 10. The goal is to make people aware of the issue: Gail Mullan of GRANs noted such violence has become a "shadow pandemic" since COVID-19 emerged. 

Mayor and council received orange ribbons during the meeting, and city hall will be lit up in orange for a total of 16 days. 

Editor's note: a previous version of this story quoted the number Coun. Daniel Fontaine gave as $19,000—this should read $90,000. New West Anchor regrets the error.