Tim and Julia Nelson, owners of Industry Skate and Snow, say the state of Red Deer's downtown is forcing them to relocate. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

too much to handle

Downtown shop owners fed up with crime and vandalism

Aug 30, 2019 | 10:57 AM

Another Red Deer business is saying goodbye to the downtown in hopes of finding less trouble elsewhere.

Tim and Julia Nelson, owners of Industry Skate and Snow, are moving their business from Ross Street and 47 Avenue to Bower Plaza.

They say the move is precipitated by the almost daily attempted theft and vandalism, and an overall unwelcoming atmosphere for businesses to operate in the downtown.

“I’ve worked downtown in this plaza for 22 years and I’ve seen it, within the last four years, really start to deteriorate,” says Tim. “Downtown isn’t the most desirable place to have a business right now. And with Co-op shutting down, the crowd we get down here just isn’t the most welcoming for families.”

They add that it becomes even more difficult for any business that wants to operate outside of banker’s hours.

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“We understand that it’s a multi-faceted problem, and we’re not naive to think that there’s one solution to it all,” Julia says. “We feel like part of the solution is getting involved with kids and families, giving them an outlet and a community that’s safe, and for them to thrive in with skateboarding and snowboarding, and around the love of those sports; maybe stop the problem before it starts. It’s really hard to do that down here right now.”

A broken window from a previous attempted theft at Industry Skate and Snow, and a needle found just around the corner from their entrance. The owners say it is because of these types of things that they can’t call their shop a family friendly place. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

The Nelsons believes the majority of the crime or attempted crime that happens near their location is being done by people who use drugs.

Asked about the temporary overdose prevention site, they acknowledge it saves lives, but also question the its effectiveness without sufficient rehab options for people to also check in to.

“It’s a huge bummer,” Tim admits about moving. “We’ve noticed in the past four months there’s definitely more of a police presence down here. For the couple years before that, it’s felt pretty vacant in terms of all that. Now it seems like maybe things will start to turn, but (for us) it’s too little, too late.”

Amanda Gould, Executive Director for the Downtown Red Deer Business Association, admits the area is in a tough spot right now.

“We have a concentration of much needed social services, two soup kitchens and an overdose prevention site serving our most vulnerable population (all) in a small area. Until that is balanced with a population that live, work and play Downtown, and some sort of recovery in the economy, it will continue to be a challenge for everyone,” she predicts.

A broken window at the Knox Presbyterian Church next door to Industry Skate and Snow. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

“This is not something that is just affecting Downtown either. It’s happening all across the city, but ours is magnified because it’s contained in a very small area and the effects are seen by the 450+ businesses and their staff every day.”

Gould doesn’t deny hearing that the downtown is undesirable from other business owners, but says it’s important to remember there could be many reasons why a business decides to leave the area.

In the Nelsons’ case, they also expressed a concern with the hike in metered parking rates implemented by The City of Red Deer in summer 2018.

“It may feel like The City could do more, but it’s also important to remember that a lot of things that we need to happen Downtown, need decisions from the provincial government,” continues Gould.

“Organizations of all types make decisions every day that will affect the downtown either positively or negatively, and it is our role to seek these out and work alongside the organizations to either mitigate the negative or expand the positive.”