(Bob Schnieder/CHATNewsToday)

By Tiffany Goodwein

business moving away

North Railway businesses call for greater supports as area struggles with crime and social issues

Nov 19, 2021 | 6:49 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB- It is a store that takes you back to way back when, but soon its location on North Railway will be part of history, just like some of the items inside. After two years, The Rail Yard will be packing up and moving to a different part of the city because of some of the challenges they are facing when operating a business in the area.

“The big thing that led to the decision was last Sunday when a gentleman kicked our window out, and the last week leading up to that.” Lane said

In total, Lane has spent thousands of dollars of his own money to repair broken windows and fences, and it has become too big of an expense to bear for his antique store.

On top of property damage, he says he regularly has to clean up feces, and discarded needles on a regular basis.

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“Every week there is tons of issues from theft, to break and enters to overdoses to everything. It is unfortunate. It is just tough to conduct business when that is going on,” Lane said.

Part of the issue, Lane believes is the concentration of social agencies in the downtown core. Last winter, North Railway became home to the temporary daytime shelter. The Root Celler, Salvation Army, and Medicine Hat Community Housing are also downtown

Lane said he has an immense amount of compassion for the people struggling, and has even referred people to the social services near by. But now, he says both he and his staff no longer feel safe where they work.

Jennifer Janssens works down the street and also feels the same way. She says she can’t even walk down the street by herself once she is done her shift at night.

“I don’t walk alone. I will not walk down alone. Anything that is basically from the Tim Hortons to the Mainliner is basically a no-go zone for any female who is walking down there by themselves at night alone,” she said.

Inspector Brent Secondiak says crime isn’t so much an issue as perception. Secondiak says crime statistics show that crime in the downtown core has stayed relatively stable and has even dropped in some areas.

“I think most of the issue on North Railway is the fear of crime. They see people who are perhaps under the influence of a drug or having a mental health issue and they feel fear, and that is one of the reasons why we brought the downtown patrol unit in was to have a uniform presence in the South Railway, North Railway corridor,” he said.

Retired police chief Andy McGrogan, who is also on city council said the city has done a great job in dealing with the social issues in the city, and he doesn’t believe there is anything missing when it comes to services.

“ If you look at other places across the country we have a very good situation here. I think we are just used to a certain way of being,” he said.

Both McGrogan and Insp. Secondiak said they would set up a business on North Railway without hesitation because they believe the area is a safe, sustainable place to do business.

“I just know these people, and if you treat them with respect, they will treat you like that as well,” Secondiak said.

While Lane agrees that most that individuals that come through North Railway are good people, he still would like to see more services in the city that get more people back on their feet.

“Just having shelters is not going to solve the issues. We need to have something that helps them get integrated into society, we need rehab we need food, we need education, we need so much other things” he said.