By Cheryl Jahn

Evaluating downtown

Jun 30, 2022 | 4:20 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The issues facing this city’s downtown and the current Council’s efforts to fix what ails it goes as far back as December of 2019, when Council Chambers were packed with concerned residents, all with an idea of how to do that job. It resulted in the creation of the Safe, Clean and Inclusive Downtown, which had representation from a number of stakeholders.

“Our challenge has been that we never truly evaluated whether the suite of services that we’re providing are actually achieving what we hope or they are intended to achieve,” explains Chris Bone, Senior Manager of Strategic Initiatives. “We have lots of quantitative measures, like calls for service, but we don’t have that bigger picture that tells us if we’re learning something or if we’re making things better for people?”

A series of workshops were held as part of that analysis, with representation from more than 20 organizations, including Council.

“I met folks who were unhoused, who are currently unhoused,” explains Councillor Terri McConnachie. “I met folks who either work for themselves or work for other people and people who are concerned generally. Everybody had the same goal about having a safe, clean and welcoming public space and community we call home.”

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The list of programs funded by the City in recent years is lengthy: to name a few, the community safety hub, shower and washrooms facilities, four additional bylaw officers to do extended tours in the downtown, RCMP foot patrols have been increased, and a long list of efforts to clean up, such a sidewalk flushing, biohazard removal, garbage clean-up and clean-up of overnight shelter debris. And that’s just part of it.

“So over summertime, we’re working with the consultant ad some of the evaluation experts in the community to finalize all the indicators,” says Bone.

That information will come back to the Council of the day later this year or early next.