Downtown business owners in Cold Lake have had enough of the aggressive panhandling on main street.
“Some of the businesses are having a lot of vagrants outside their buildings, harassing their clients or pedestrians walking by for money or handouts. It sounds like it's been getting a lot more aggressive,” said Bob Buckle, owner of Original Joe's and city councilor.
Last Tuesday (Aug. 11), letters from business owners on 50 Avenue were brought up for discussion by Cold Lake City Council during their meeting. The letters outlined concerns that panhandling on the main street, particularly on the east end of the street near the Sobey's liquor store, is becoming a serious problem. While the issue isn't a new one, business owners stated that it's become more than just individuals sleeping near shops asking for money.
“What's been reported to me, and I've seen it myself over the past several months, is there are individuals hanging around the liquor store, around the banks and accosting people,” said Buckle. “They're approaching people that they know have gone to the ATM machines looking for money and handouts.”
The problems extend to the individuals knocking on windows while people are sitting in their vehicles and even urinating on and around the buildings.
“Unfortunately, these people don't want to leave. They don't have a home to go to and if you talk to them, which I have, they don't want to necessarily go to a men's shelter. A couple of the guys that I know sleep in a certain area and all they have is a tarp or a tent, this is the life they choose,” explained Mayor Craig Copeland.
The Cold Lake and District Chamber of Commerce has also been made aware of the issue. Business owners are expressing concerns that the aggressive panhandlers are starting to deter people from walking down main street, subsequently steering customers away from those stores.
Now that there has been a formal complaint, the City is looking into what can be done to combat aggressive panhandling on the main street. There is a current bylaw in place in the City of Cold Lake against these types of behaviours; however, the city is planning discussions with the local RCMP to see how it can be enforced.
“I realize the city is going to have to work with the RCMP to come up with some solutions and I hope that our bylaws will have enough teeth for them to take action,” said Buckle.
He added, “Further discussion with the RCMP is really to see if we need to add some more teeth to the existing bylaw so that the police have actionable avenues they can take. If you don't craft the wording in the bylaw to take appropriate action then you're left with helplessness.”
Copeland expressed that, from what he understands, the individuals are not from this area but have come here because Cold Lake is a generous community. While the city is going to do the best they can to work with the RCMP to alleviate the issue, he added it's important local residents don't brand all of them as criminals.
“People have to remember generally it's not these people causing the crime, the break-ins in Cold Lake. They're looking for a meal, and they're looking for money to carry on with their lifestyle.”
