When Ashley Whidden found a house in south Edmonton near a transit center, she was thrilled by her family’s fate. But seven years later, he said, he discovered the downside of the convenience of living near an LRT station. “We’re really debating whether or not we should move to a new community,” said Whidden, who lives in Malmo Plains.
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The story goes on under the ad Whidden said she had seemingly drunk strangers walking in the backyard while she played with her children. Once, her children watched an arrest just behind the gate. The Facebook community group is full of news about thefts, burglaries and suspected arsons. “The neighborhoods that are supposed to benefit most from the transit system are the ones that are experiencing these negative consequences,” he said. 2:17 Riders share the extent of problems at the Edmonton LRT Riders share the extent of the problems at the Edmonton LRT
Crimes near the Edmonton LRT system
The Edmonton Police Department is monitoring the community crime and released a digital map in March. Along the city’s LRT line, there are a growing number of incidents involving allegations of assault, theft and weapons. “We didn’t even have to look at the crime map, because we live it,” Whidden said. The story goes on under the ad
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EPS declined to comment on any trends on the map, but neighbors told Global News that they have experienced the spread of incidents first hand. “This rise in crime, if you remember, increased when the overpass was installed,” said Muhammad Elezzabi. Elezzabi is a member of the Malmo Plains Community League and said talks are under way to close the fence that connects neighbors to the crossing. He admits that it is not an ideal solution. “It’s inconvenient for us LRT users. “But the security of the neighborhood is paramount,” he said. 2:01 Charges against 40 people after drug search along Edmonton LRT line Charges were imposed on 40 people after drug search along the Edmonton LRT line – March 23, 2017 City Councilman Tim Cartmell also looked at the crime map. Trending Stories
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The story goes on under the ad “These opportunistic crimes are associated with our LRT stations. “I think the point is that some of this vulnerable community is coming out of the city center to other stations and committing a crime.” Cartmell said he believes vulnerable members of the community are being hunted by groups that want to exploit them, leading to petty crime in order to get cash quickly. “If we remove them from the crime industry, it helps (reduce) the chances of more crime in residential areas supported by this virtually free travel pipeline that pulls people out of the core,” he said.
Seeking help
Transit president Steve Bradshaw said security – and how to improve it – was also on his mind. He does not believe that the presence of mercenaries works as a deterrent to crime. Bradshaw said he would like peacekeepers to have more power. “They are very limited. They should at least be able to enforce the mental health law. “This would help us remove people with real difficulties from the system and get them the help they need.”
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The story goes on under the ad Bradshaw said crime at the station and the surrounding area makes it difficult to attract riders back to the crossing now that they are returning to the office. “The city is working very hard on this problem and we are working on it with them, but things do not change overnight,” he said. “It’s a complicated problem.” Whidden, meanwhile, hopes her children – when they grow up enough to drive on their own – reap the benefits of the system. “We believe in public transport. “We want to support the system and our children to be part of it.” “But if it is not a safe place, I do not see it as an option.”
The city of Edmonton is responding to transit concerns
In a press conference Thursday afternoon, an Edmonton city official said he was concerned about the safety of everyone on the LRT system. The story goes on under the ad “We take the safety of our riders and staff very seriously,” said Carrie Hotton-MacDonald, Branch Manager at Edmonton Transit Service. “We have a lot of eyes on the system and we have zero tolerance for harassment, criminal activity, causing harm to others or any other form of transit violence.” 1:47 Edmonton man faces charges of unprovoked attack on LRT Edmonton man faces charges of unprovoked attack on LRT Five more peacekeepers will be deployed by June, Hotton-MacDonald said, bringing the total to 93. The city is also trying to add an opioid response team to address ongoing drug use and overdose concerns across the LRT system. The biggest problem, Hotton-MacDonald said, is that transport safety issues cannot be resolved by the transit department alone. “These issues that cause many of the worries and feelings of insecurity are much, much bigger than transit,” he said. “It’s the hardest part of it all. The story goes on under the ad “We are talking about really big social issues: people who do not have housing solutions, people who suffer from addictions and mental health challenges (and) gather in our spaces.”
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But what can riders do now to report problems or feel safer? Hotton-MacDonald urged riders to save the Transit Watch phone number on their phone, use one of the blue emergency phones throughout the system or, if in an LRT car, use the foldable emergency tab. The Transit Watch phone number is 780-442-4900 and you can call or text to reach the 24/7 traffic control center. In the event of an emergency, riders are encouraged to still call 911. The city is scheduled to provide traffic safety briefing to the city council on May 24th. – With records by Kirby Bourne, 630 CHED © 2022 Global News, part of Corus Entertainment Inc.
