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As a resident of the Downtown (16yrs) and transit user, my experience (along with many in our building) went from improving and filled with anticipation to fear, anxiety, multiple losses/damage due to theft or attempted and disappointment that we were F&(()&*ing left alone for literally two years. TWO! Our condo had more incidents in the last two years than the last 10+ combined.

They can say all they want, but Downtown (including Chinatown) was left to fend for itself and felt, no, WAS abandoned.

The business owners I spoke with said the same thing, as did visitors (the very few).

This would not have happened in most other neighbourhoods or part of our city (although I feel awful for 118ave at times and Stony Plain Road too).

Yes we had COVID to deal with which significantly constrained resources.
Yes there was/is a movement to defund the police which made things complicated and challenging
Yes we have an opioid crisis and other drug usage leading to a multitude of negative downtown stream impacts
Yes we have a significant rise in homelessness that needs to be recognized at the Provincial level and actually received proper resources to begin to address it

I don't envy decision makers or EPS, BUT you dont abandon your Downtown/core and literally put so much fear into many of its residents that they move out of the area or become prisoners in their own homes.

For shame.
That sounds awful to live through, I'm very sorry about that. Thanks for the insight, it helps me a lot.
 
I love people that say our DT is hard to access. It’s about as hard as a Costco parking lot, so you’ll be fine.

I can empathize with businesses impacted by construction all around them, that’s hard. But anyone thinking our downtown will become awesome by adding 4 lane freeways like 170th street that feed into the core is wrong. Our best downtowns in canada are much harder to access and navigate with cars than edmontons. Do people just not travel? Or can’t connect the dots?

Our issue is that we badly need the residential base of DT to grow so businesses aren’t reliant on the whole city accessing DT. My hope also is that all our transit stuff can be sorted in 5 years for when WVLRT opens. Cause it could be a game changer.
 
To build on your point, any street becomes more livable and attractive if there are fewer cars on it, downtown or not. In my mind, it's one of the reasons the Fort Road development at Belvedere never quite took off. Who wants to live next to a 6-lane expressway?
 
Against my better judgment but due to extenuating circumstances I took a walk downtown this evening between six and seven. I decided to check out the new entrance to Churchill station connector. I went through the city hall entrance where a number of people were sitting around doing drugs so I told them to go do it somewhere else. A colourful conversation ensued. I decided to exit through ECC where I witnessed a drug deal.
Finally exiting on 101 street I walk pass the entrance to Shoppers when a cell phone hit the glass much to my surprise. Then a fight broke out between a security guard and some individual right in front of me front row seat if you will. The individual in question started to leave but then the police arrived and arrested him. What’s not to like about downtown with all this free entertainment.
 
Against my better judgment but due to extenuating circumstances I took a walk downtown this evening between six and seven. I decided to check out the new entrance to Churchill station connector. I went through the city hall entrance where a number of people were sitting around doing drugs so I told them to go do it somewhere else. A colourful conversation ensued. I decided to exit through ECC where I witnessed a drug deal.
Finally exiting on 101 street I walk pass the entrance to Shoppers when a cell phone hit the glass much to my surprise. Then a fight broke out between a security guard and some individual right in front of me front row seat if you will. The individual in question started to leave but then the police arrived and arrested him. What’s not to like about downtown with all this free entertainment.

I can't say that I am shocked in the slightest. I am shocked that you're still relatively unscathed after going Steve Wilkos on them! Kudos to you! This is also why I think more people need to start wearing Google Glasses or body cameras to REALLY document the reality that this is... It's one thing to hear from a friend of a friend of these situations it's another to watch the footage on YouTube... Classic and sad example? When you google Edmonton on YouTube? The top hit I believe remains that sketchy demonically possessed Pringles attacking girl on the LRT at Churchill.... Something sadly on brand for the city these days... I'm dealing with the crack epidemic around both of my parents residences as well with junkies exchanging duffel bags full of drugs in the open these days and B&A and home invasion attempts on the other. I'm not NORMALLY a "stand your ground" advocate HOWEVER... After this and the Justin Bone saga? BANG BANG BADDIE!
 
And while having said that I still fully believe in making drugs 100% legal in every aspect as well as opening safe consumption centres and giving away free government grade narcotics to keep the supplies clean and out of the hands of the largest criminals of all, the manufacturers and distributors and pushers... I just want it out of sight and out of mind and the f*ck away from me and my family... To each their own but they aren't my own!
 
I can't say that I am shocked in the slightest. I am shocked that you're still relatively unscathed after going Steve Wilkos on them! Kudos to you! This is also why I think more people need to start wearing Google Glasses or body cameras to REALLY document the reality that this is... It's one thing to hear from a friend of a friend of these situations it's another to watch the footage on YouTube... Classic and sad example? When you google Edmonton on YouTube? The top hit I believe remains that sketchy demonically possessed Pringles attacking girl on the LRT at Churchill.... Something sadly on brand for the city these days... I'm dealing with the crack epidemic around both of my parents residences as well with junkies exchanging duffel bags full of drugs in the open these days and B&A and home invasion attempts on the other. I'm not NORMALLY a "stand your ground" advocate HOWEVER... After this and the Justin Bone saga? BANG BANG BADDIE!
I did Google Edmonton, just out of curiosity. The first hit is something about a donation centre for Ukrainian refugees. The YouTube video on Google results is about "10 reasons why people love Edmonton".
I searched Edmonton on YouTube and the first thing that popped up is a Global news about a family being deported. The 2nd hit is about "top 10 things to do in Edmonton in 2022". I don't know, maybe my results are different from others.

This video is actually very good
 
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I did Google Edmonton, just out of curiosity. The first hit is something about a donation centre for Ukrainian refugees. The YouTube video on Google results is about "10 reasons why people love Edmonton".
I searched Edmonton on YouTube and the first thing that popped up is a Global news about a family being deported. The 2nd hit is about "top 10 things to do in Edmonton in 2022". I don't know, maybe my results are different from others.

This video is actually very good
That's a good thing. The last time I performed this sad exercise Ukraine was still being threatened from across the border and not in its current state... Unfortunately all it took to refresh the media cycle was a genocide and for our people (Albertans but especially those of Ukrainian heritage) to step up in a big way... News cycles may have finally refreshed but the damage is done and the hurt lingers… And obviously our reputation is dirt… And justifiably so… So yay? But not really...
 

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