‘Level of chaos 10-times worse’: Vancouver public safety meeting extended

Crime and public safety were in the spotlight at Vancouver City Hall Thursday night, at a special meeting meant to allow people to air their concerns and offer solutions.

Dozens were signed up, but only a relative handful was able to speak after all the presentations and questions from Vancouver city council to stakeholders.

Among the speakers was Tracy To, whose family has run an appliance shop in Chinatown for almost three and a half decades.

“I don’t typically feel unsafe in Chinatown on a daily basis, but that could be due to me being used to the situation,” she told council. “But the level of chaos that we see today is at least 10-times worse than what it was in 2010.”

To described many incidents that have happened to her while she has been working.

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“Being pepper sprayed and then robbed of our air conditioners one summer. We’ve had to deal with numerous fires around our building from squatters in the alleys setting mattresses and garbage on fire. I’ve had female staff members physically attacked while walking to bus stops and waiting for the bus. The non-stop graffiti, defecation and needles in doorways is disgusting,”

She pointed to vandals targeting the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens and hacksawing the neighbourhood’s distinctive dragon lanterns as “pure chaos.”

“The perception of danger is also very damaging to our business. On quite a few occasions, I’ve been on the phone with customers wanting to buy a product I have available. But after I tell them I’m located in Vancouver’s Chinatown, they would say ‘Oh no, I wouldn’t go there, it’s too dangerous.’”

To said even some of her long-time customers are afraid to come to the neighbourhood.

“With all the Asian hate crimes and the hypodermic needle stabbings, they don’t want to be the next victim. It often feels like we in Chinatown are left to fend for ourselves. The problems we face are not Chinatown problems, they are Vancouver problems. We need your help now more than ever.”

That includes, To said, a more visible police presence in Chinatown, a bigger budget to help neighbourhood organizations with safety plans, and better social support for “those causing the chaos on our streets.”

Michael Tan is another local business owner and a community advocate who spoke about efforts to tackle public safety issues in Chinatown.

“I think the big thing for any type of anti-hate-crime program, in terms of an outcome, is to build mutual understanding. I think there the beginnings of some of these programs in terms of taking on a collaborative approach already to connect people from different neighbourhoods and demographics to help build that understanding.”

Tan pointed to the Chinese Legacy Stewardship Program as a successful example of bridgebuilding in the neighbourhood.

“It’s a collaboration between the city and EMBERS Eastside Works, which hires residents from the Downtown Eastside community to support cleaning programs in Chinatown. This program has been very well received in the neighbourhood and the feedback is that we need more programs like that to build that understanding.”

Besides residents and business-owners, Vancouver City Council also heard from the Vancouver Police Department, Vancouver Coastal Health, the Vancouver Chinatown Business Improvement Association and a number of other groups.

At the conclusion of the four hour special council meeting, to accommodate all of the people who did not get a chance to speak, another public meeting was scheduled for May 10.