Pubdate: Fri, 14 Aug 2009
Source: Kamloops This Week (CN BC)
Copyright: 2009 Kamloops This Week
Contact:  http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1271
Author: Jeremy Deutsch

TRANQUILLE DIAL TONE NOT SILENCED

The head of a North Shore safety-patrol group thinks city council is 
making a big mistake by not removing a problematic payphone.

The North Shore Citizens Safety Patrol had been asking for the 
removal of the phone, at 480 Tranquille Rd. in the parking lot of the 
Total Pet store, arguing it is being used by drug users and 
prostitutes to make drug deals.

The city's social planning council recommended a curfew for the phone 
from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m., which would only allow it to be used for 
emergency purposes.

But, this week, council decided to leave the phone as is - a move 
that Betty Nelson, the coordinator of the safety patrol, doesn't understand.

Nelson is disappointed with council's decision and suggested the 
group will now have to spend more time keeping an eye on the area 
around the phone.

"It makes absolutely no sense to me," she told KTW. "I don't believe 
they considered all the facts and I don't believe they did what was 
in the best interest of the taxpaying businesses and taxpaying 
residents on Tranquille in that particular area."

Nelson is also stunned city council would go against its own social 
planning council.

She called the planning council's recommendation "a good compromise."

Coun. Tina Lange said she has heard from residents who want the phone 
to stay, noting people still need the service in the evening.

"I don't think removing a phone removes activity that is 
undesirable," she said.

Lange said it wouldn't be fair to area businesses that would have to 
deal with more people asking to sue their phones.

Other councillors agreed, as did Mayor Peter Milobar, who echoed 
Lange is opining that removing the phone would not stop criminal activity.

Milobar said having the occasional phone along Tranquille Road is not 
unreasonable.

In light of the decision, Nelson said she will be in contact with the 
social planning council to determine what other options are available.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom