Neighbouring downtown businesses call for more action following vandalism spree

One door down, Lucy Shaw, Boutique Manager for the Novia Mia Bridal, says her shop door was smashed last month.

Tammy Cameron, Lead Admin at the dental clinic, says some of the damages are weeks away from being repaired and this isn’t the first time.

She says issues began roughly five years ago, beginning with drug paraphernalia found on the property as well as human feces. While she acknowledged that organizations like Turning Point are doing their best to clean the area, it hasn’t stopped the numerous incidents of broken windows, which have been reported several times to police. In the past year and a half, she says the door has been broken twice and while the business does not have security cameras outside, she says they have sufficient lighting in the area.

“We’ve been established here since 1994 and now, all of a sudden, every couple of months we’re having damage. We’re losing patients, we’re losing revenue and increased costs,” she said. “Something has to be done because what are our options?”

READ: Red Deer says temporary shelter mitigation strategies showing effectiveness in Railyards

Just the small back window was quoted at $355 in repairs. While insurance covers some of the cost, she says the incidents increase their premiums.

Broken glass window in the back of the dental clinic quoted at $355 in repairs. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

“Upon renewal they’ll increase because we’re at higher risk each time the offence happens. Even if we pay out of pocket and don’t go through insurance, the area that we’re in, other business may make claims,” she said.

Beshay says his insurance has increased a few hundred dollars as well due to the incidents adding to roughly $7,000 in damages before coverage. He estimates that in his six years at the location, he has experienced eight vandalisms, including graffiti and broken doors and windows, some believed to be caused by thrown rocks.

He says the first incident also happened five years ago when he claims he politely asked an apparent homeless man to leave his front property because it was making customers uncomfortable. The next day his front door was smashed. Having cameras at the time, he believes it was the same man who caused the $800 in damages.

Having contacted RCMP, Beshay says he has stopped reporting over the years as the perpetrators have never been found.

“We’re not a really rich business; we are a regular business,” said Beshay, an Egyptian immigrant and father of three under 14 years old. “My wife works with me. I can’t get her today [to come] with me; she’s scared. It’s not the right position. We don’t like to work under pressure; you go to work and you don’t know if you’ll turn back. It’s harder now; no one is listening to us.”

Magdy Beshay stands in front of his Alterations and Sowing store in downtown Red Deer, next to the dental clinic. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

While no items have been stolen from his store, he says he has been robbed in other ways. He says he is beginning to have nightmares due to anxiety, losing customers who don’t feel safe at the store and is simply working to repair damages without making much profit.

“I don’t feel happy here; we need to move and if all the business start to move as everyone decides on this, it will be like a ghost downtown area, which we don’t like,” he said. “I feel like I built this [business]; it was my dream for years and now I just [have to] get rid of it because it’s not secure anymore.”

Meanwhile, at the bridal salon located on the second floor, Shaw says in the two years she’s worked there, they have had two attempted break-ins and have had to call RCMP and 2-1-1 on several occasions.

“My husband actually has to now escort me into work because he actually gets quite worried for me. One of my members of staff while I was actually off work did call me quite upset because there was a gentleman down in the stairwell trying to get away from the cold,” she said.

Shaw feels the broken doors and front parking lot covered in shopping carts and open garbage bags is detrimental to her business, selling higher-priced wedding gowns.

“It’s awful because we’re running a business. We’re also classed as luxury premium items, our dresses, they’re a luxury item and they are expensive and you can’t really try to then sell a dress to a bride when you have a door kicked in and also when there’s a gentleman outside half naked making a nuisance of himself. It’s really tricky,” she said.

She said four individuals have attempted to enter the store who were not clients and just one of the broken windows cost them $500.

Since then, new owner Pamela Miller has said they have installed security cameras. She says she will be leaving the downtown area once her lease is over as she is becoming frightened from incidents like fights in front of her property and the recent stabbing at the nearby Real Canadian Superstore.

READ: RCMP looking for witnesses to stabbing inside Red Deer Superstore

While none of the business owners are able to identify who is causing the damages, all have voiced concern over the level of homelessness and drug use in the area due to issues they have had during the work day.

“[It’s] very discouraging, very heart wrenching [being] unable to take care of our patients who followed us along all these years. They’re elderly now so them being afraid to attend the location… their health is already declining and we’re unable to assist keeping their oral health up to date,” said Cameron.

Broken side window of the dental clinic leading to their operatory. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

Beshay says RCMP security in the area needs to be increased to reprimand the persons causing the damage. While he says he understands the suffering faced by the homeless population, he says businesses are suffering as well and would like to see the temporary shelter and Overdose Prevention Site moved from the downtown to help the area bounce back.

“We try to work safe, we try to work hard to earn our money for our kids,” he said.

READ: Land negotiations unsuccessful for permanent shelter; Red Deer council vows continued search

Miller says a bigger unknown issue must be resolved.

“What the actual situation is, I don’t know because you have to solve the problem; you can’t just move the problem and I don’t know how the problem can be solved because it takes money, it takes support, it takes so much. Do we have that in Red Deer? We do. Why isn’t it happening?,” she said.

Red Deer RCMP Corporal Mike Evans from the Youth and Community Action Team says installing security cameras can deter crime. While he says it can be difficult to get a quality or clear shot of someone’s face, it can help give police valuable data such as the times vandalisms occur and if there are similarities with other incidents.

He says neighbouring businesses should also work together to watch each other’s locations and report criminal activity as the RCMP aim to reduce occurrences through their Downtown Patrol Unit and frontline officers on watch.

Graffiti on back of dental clinic. (rdnewsNOW/Alesia Proietti)

The Downtown Business Association (DBA) offers a Façade and Shop Front Improvement Program for renovations and a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) grant for downtown businesses experiencing unwanted social activity and acts, to help them adjust their property to prevent things like vandalism.

For further details or an application form, businesses can email Sandy.Dempsey@downtownreddeer.com and those located in the Railyards Area can email Chelsey.Ward@downtownreddeer.com.

“Any act of vandalism on your property is frustrating and often expensive. While I cannot comment on the specific acts mentioned, it is important to remember that it occurs in every city, both in and out of the downtown and is not unique to Red Deer,” said Amanda Gould, Executive Director of the DBA.

The City of Red Deer also has a Graffiti and Vandalism Grant totaling $50,000, allowing downtown businesses to apply for up to $500, two times a year.

Lastly, the city’s DBA Liaison Chelsey Ward said the city is currently taking applications for a Leading Forward Economic Incentives Program which provides funding for façade and security-related improvements for businesses throughout the greater downtown.

“The DBA is always here to help direct businesses to supports and we pride ourselves on being a direct point of contact to all businesses experiencing challenges in whatever form that takes,” she said. “Programs such as these support the beautification of our vibrant downtown, which is one of the many objectives of the DBA. We contribute to this not only through subsidies, but through public art projects and placemaking initiatives to inspire public ownership and pride. The DBA has a number of resources available to counteract challenges experienced by businesses in city centers and we urge those affected to contact the DBA to share their concerns – we can help.”

by Alessia Proietti

Neighbouring downtown businesses call for more action following vandalism spree

What's Trending