Pubdate: Wed, 27 Sep 2006
Source: Cowichan News Leader (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Cowichan News Leader
Contact:  http://www.cowichannewsleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1314
Author: Peter Rusland

SHARP REMINDER LEFT HOW CAIRNSMORE PROBLEMS REMAIN

Chronic crime and hard-drug abuse in the  Government/Cairnsmore 
street area has some locals  repeating demands for community action 
before push  comes to shove.

"In the past two weeks there's been a wave of crime  happening up 
here again and we're finding needles  around day and night," Loren 
Halloran, manager of  Bruce's Grocery, said of a blight originally 
reported  nearly two years ago.

He and resident William Bottoms have collected a bucket  of used dope 
syringes and other paraphernalia around  Bruce's, the nearby 7-Eleven 
store and Duncan  elementary school.

One strung-out drug user and dealer is known to police  and should be 
arrested before someone in the  neighbourhood decides to take the law 
into their own  hands, he says.

Hallaron also describes rampant vandalism, store theft  and break-ins 
by suspected addicts.

"I do nightly patrols just to look out for our store.

"There'll be more break-ins and home invasions are  feared because 
these people have to keep feeding their  habit," he said, noting 
police do respond often.

An RCMP spokesperson was unavailable for comment by  press time Tuesday.

North Cowichan/Duncan RMCP has been involved with a  Cairnsmore 
Neighbourhood Action Project struck late  last year. A Cowichan 
Valley Safer Futures program,  CNAP gained a $75,769 federal grant 
for a work-experience program to confront Cairnsmore's  problems.

A CNAP agent was unavailable to comment by deadline but  Pedro 
Mengual, Duncan elementary's acting principal,  has seen little 
effect from CNAP's Mug-Ups program that  doled out hot chocolate to 
youths in December.

"I went to a meeting they had. Whenever you can get  community groups 
together (it's) good but I can't say  I've seen any noticeable difference.

"Changing behaviour is a long-term thing."

Halloran suggests more help is needed on the ground.

"You gotta try and help these people but are (CNAP)  people combing 
the schoolyard in the morning?"

Mengual cites some patrols by Co-Val security and RCMP  community 
volunteers as attempts made to stop crime in  the area.

But he explained needles, condoms and other wastes  still plague his 
schoolyard.

"Any such debris is a concern because of the children  so even one is 
too much."

Halloran, Bottoms and others suspect offenders live in  the Luxor 
Manor apartments, shooting up in brush behind  the 7-Eleven.

But Geraldean Poirier, Luxor's new manager, promises a  clean sweep 
of druggies and criminals.

"I'm putting a new in-house manager in our A building  and I'll be in 
B. I'm cleaning this place right up;  that's what I'm here to do from 
our new owners," she  said Monday.

"We're also going through a new strict application  process and I 
don't care if suites are empty."

Laurie Smith, a 7-Eleven spokesperson, says her  Cairnsmore store 
manager, Ian Davidson, is keeping  criminals away, keeping his lot 
clean of needles and  will work with Luxor on other fronts.

"We're not interested in providing a cushy (drug-use)  place. We'll 
fix the fence (beside Luxor) and look at  the area to see what else we can do."

Smith notes the problem is long-term, urging adequate  notice of CNAP 
meetings so Davidson can attend.

Poirier also promises to attend.

"Anything we can do to make things better together, I'm  willing; 
this is my home also."

City Councillor Paul Fletcher wants a CNAP progress  report and gives 
passing agreement to suggestions of a  legal shooting gallery to 
control needles and drug  users.

"It works in other places and you can have outreach  with it. We're a 
small city with big city problems.

"We have very little budget or provincial support on  this and we're 
at a critical juncture. "Perhaps our new  official community plan can 
address some of these  issues."
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MAP posted-by: Elaine