ganjavih
Senior Member
Pedestrians spooked by sex, drugs and defecation in Calgary pedways
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=51bf597f-fcf6-4153-9bcb-b46910367e22&k=94067
CanWest News Service; Calgary Herald
Published: Wednesday, August 15, 2007
CALGARY - Calgary's unique above-ground maze of covered walkways is becoming an obstacle course for downtown workers, who find themselves sidestepping people having sex, addicts doing drugs and vagrants urinating.
According to a recent survey, Calgarians are using the city's "Plus-15" pedways less often because of growing concern for their safety.
"Those numbers are increasing year over year," said Bill Partridge, executive vice-president of the Building Owners and Management Association. "It's getting worse."
Jody Liscum can attest to that. She works at a downtown store near a Plus-15 - so named because they connect buildings 15 feet above the ground. She said there are always two people tasked with opening and closing the store because of safety concerns.
"We've had people standing and spitting at people," said Liscum.
Partridge's association has been monitoring concerns about the Plus-15 system, and recently surveyed 3,000 users - 80 per cent of them downtown tenants.
Forty-three per cent of the respondents reported having problems with vagrants, 38 per cent encountered drug use and 32 per cent saw signs of gang activity. Fifteen per cent witnessed sexual activity.
Other problems encountered in the pedways include harassment, urination and defecation.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=51bf597f-fcf6-4153-9bcb-b46910367e22&k=94067
CanWest News Service; Calgary Herald
Published: Wednesday, August 15, 2007
CALGARY - Calgary's unique above-ground maze of covered walkways is becoming an obstacle course for downtown workers, who find themselves sidestepping people having sex, addicts doing drugs and vagrants urinating.
According to a recent survey, Calgarians are using the city's "Plus-15" pedways less often because of growing concern for their safety.
"Those numbers are increasing year over year," said Bill Partridge, executive vice-president of the Building Owners and Management Association. "It's getting worse."
Jody Liscum can attest to that. She works at a downtown store near a Plus-15 - so named because they connect buildings 15 feet above the ground. She said there are always two people tasked with opening and closing the store because of safety concerns.
"We've had people standing and spitting at people," said Liscum.
Partridge's association has been monitoring concerns about the Plus-15 system, and recently surveyed 3,000 users - 80 per cent of them downtown tenants.
Forty-three per cent of the respondents reported having problems with vagrants, 38 per cent encountered drug use and 32 per cent saw signs of gang activity. Fifteen per cent witnessed sexual activity.
Other problems encountered in the pedways include harassment, urination and defecation.