Safety report expected this month

By Vernon Daily Courier staff Wednesday, February 7, 2007 http://www.dailycourier.ca/article_947.php

It will be a couple weeks yet before the Downtown Vernon Association releases the results of a safety audit.The survey asked downtown businesses, employees, customers and seniors what they feel are the main issues facing the city centre.Earl Hansen, DVA executive director, said safety and security are two of the concerns that emerged from the survey.A full report is expected to be made public later this month.Hansen said committees are being struck to address all of the issues uncovered by the survey.“It will be very useful for us to draw on this information,” he said of the results.“There will be some recommendations that come out of this.”Because the report is not finalized, Hansen declined to comment on what some of those recommendations would be.

The board will continue to address the safety concerns and has extended the downtown safety patrol through the end of April.The patrol started last year after numerous safety concerns were raised. Two commissionaires were hired to walk the downtown streets in the morning and afternoon.The patrols have been well received by downtown businesses and the ublic.However, funding for the program runs out at the end of April, so Hansen said the DVA is looking for partners to continue funding the patrols.It costs about $8,000 a month to operate the safety patrol.Hansen said he is hopeful the program will be able to continue through the summer.