Just the neighbourhood emus out for a walk
Plus northern lights over wildfires and a lack of strip clubs. Read to the end for a bear
Let’s start with a bit of fun. I got pretty pysched that we might have another emu watch in the city (2021, 2013_ when I saw this post:
However, the comments reveal something that is simultaneously disappointing and great: There’s no emu watch because these are neighbourhood emus. Apparently everyone out that way knows them and they just wander around.
I feel the Buckhorn Broncos could use a new name…
Night fever
I don’t know that there’s an economic story to write her but something like 15 years ago there were an embarssingly high number of strip clubs in the city but for the past five-ish years there have been zero. There have also been basically no night clubs so there was some interest when the old Generator reopened as Ignite last year. But I guess business hasn’t been so good as one of the owners has posted online asking people, basically… why aren’t you coming out?
A few of the answers are about the cover charge but a lot of them are also asking… why no strippers? I saw a Reddit post asking about this a while ago, too and idk but basically it seems like there’s no money in it anymore? At least that’s according to the plethora of stories that have been written in the last ten years about this issue. Nighclubs, too — even before the pandemic.
Council and the camps
Homeless camps are once again on the agenda for tonight’s city council meeting. As the Citizen reports there will be discussion about whether to start removing campers from Millennium Park along 1st Ave and there will be more discussion about Moccasin Flats, this time focused on basically how to move forward with the assumption it will be there for a while.
The recommendations are as follows:
RECOMMENDATION #1:
That Council APPROVES increasing the RCMP contract by two regular members from 147 to 149 to be dedicated to the new Provincial Repeat Violent Offender Intervention Initiative (ReVOII) using existing funds for 2023, and DIRECTS Administration to incorporate this increase as a funded initiative in the 2024 operating budget.
RECOMMENDATION #2:
That Council SUPPORTS AND AUTHORIZES Administration, upon suitable prior notice being provided to the occupants of the Lower Patricia Boulevard encampment area, to use roadwork machinery to clear a roadway area through the Lower Patricia Boulevard road allowance in proximity to the Lower Patricia encampment so as to establish a safe and passable roadway for vehicular passage, including emergency response vehicles, and to mark and border such roadway with no-post concrete barriers.
RECOMMENDATION #3:
That Council FURTHER SUPPORTS AND AUTHORIZES Administration to thereafter maintain the safe and passable roadway through Lower Patricia Boulevard by seizing and disposing of objects or materials of any kind which obstruct, foul or damage the roadway area marked and bordered by the no-post concrete barriers, pursuant to Section 46 of the Community Charter, SBC 2003, c. 26 and the provisions of the "City of Prince George Safe Streets Bylaw No. 9209, 2021," and with appropriate signage warning that such steps will be taken.
RECOMMENDATION #4:
That Council AUTHORIZES Administration to initiate a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)/SmartGrowth pilot project in enhancing neighborhood safety options and to return a report containing cost options for Council’s consideration.
RECOMMENDATION #5:
That Council DIRECTS Administration to initiate the planning and action process to stop overnight camping at Millennium Park and commence remediation of that site, subject to Council approving final reading and adoption of “Parks and Open Space Bylaw No. 7370, 2002, Amendment Bylaw No. 9389, 2023.”
The translation of all of this is to add RCMP officers to the downtown unit at an annual cost of $420,000 a year, start building a road through the site so city and emergency crews can more easily drive in there (and regularly clear the road if there is stuff on it) and, vaguely, start finding ways to reduce crime in and around the camp which I suspect will include using security footage from private businesses and homes in the area since that is allowed while placing cameras in public spaces is not.
Northern Capital News is on Facebook
After direct traffic, Facebook is apparently the highest source of traffic and subscriptions to this newsletter despite me not really posting anything there. So I’ve made a Northern Capital News that you can like, I guess? I’m not really sure how useful this will be as I’m a lot more interested in building a direct relationship with you rather than the whims of an algorithm but it’s there, I suppose.
Quick news:
Maasich Place hosted Prince George Track and Field’s 50th anniversary competition this past weekend and a CrossFit competition is coming in June.
The unemployment rate has nearly doubled over the past year.
Here’s a bear:
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