Pubdate: Fri, 18 Jul 2008
Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2008 Nanaimo Daily News
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608
Author: Danielle Bell

DRUG DEATHS HAVE HUGE IMPACT

Parksville Resident Comes To Nanaimo For First-Hand Look At Troubled South End

Nanaimo's ongoing battle with drugs hit home for Parksville's Patrick 
Proudlock.

After reading in the Daily News about a pair of recent drug deaths 
and a community's efforts to battle back, Proudlock, 58, toured 
Nanaimo's south end on Thursday.

"Nanaimo is close enough to Parksville and I think it's every reason 
for concern," said Proudlock. "If (the drug deaths) aren't a wakeup 
call to people in this part of the Island, I don't know what is."

Parksville does not experience the extent and range of drug-related 
issues compared to Nanaimo, but creating awareness by taking a 
proactive stance is about being prepared ahead of time, said 
Proudlock, who hopes to share his insight with fellow neighbours.

Longtime Haliburton Street resident Doug Hiltz led Proudlock around 
the south end on Thursday, pointing out nuisance properties, picking 
up needles and explaining how to keep an eye out for drug-related activity.

Two deaths Monday on south-end Nanaimo streets highlighted the city's 
drug problems.

Though police called two apparent overdose deaths in one day 
"unusual," it raised even more concern within a community working to rebuild.

On Monday, the body of Angel Dorshia Campbell was discovered along 
the sidewalk on Haliburton Street, reported by a passerby around 7:45 a.m.

Several hours later, Ritchie Walter Kirby, 59 was found dead in an 
apartment on nearby Farquhar Street. A woman reportedly could not 
wake Kirby up after a night of partying. Police do not suspect foul 
play in either incident.

Hiltz and his wife Tanya are spearheading the creation of a Block 
Watch South End program, which would report suspicious vehicles, 
people and activity to police.

Working together to take back the streets is a step in the right 
direction, say Nanaimo police.

"We fully support that in the south end," said Nanaimo RCMP spokesman 
Const. Gary O'Brien on Thursday. "You have to get the neighbours 
saying 'we don't want that.'"

Randy Churchill, city manager of bylaw services, also supports such a program.

"We sure want to encourage it and see it grow," said Churchill. "We 
see them as having success."

While Oceanside enjoys its resort-retirement reputation and has 
several neighbourhood watch groups, there are a few drug homes 
around, said Oceanside RCMP Cpl. Garry Cox.

Cox said Thursday that police are contemplating creating a crimewatch 
group made up of downtown Parksville citizens.

Proudlock, who lives in downtown Parksville with his 20-year-old 
daughter, called Thursday's tour "a life experience that's good to 
have in your pocket."

"For us to sit comfortably in Parksville and think that that's not 
us, (Nanaimo is) only 20 to 30 minutes away," he said. "I believe 
that when people care, they should not sit back complacently."

Tanya Hiltz said she's pleased with the support the program has 
received so far.

"The community's coming alive," she said. "We don't want out streets 
to become like Vancouver."

Interested area residents can reach the Hiltzes at  ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom