Pubdate: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC) Copyright: 2003 Vancouver Courier Contact: http://www.vancourier.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474 Author: Naoibh O'Connor RESIDENT SAYS WEST END GOING TO THE DRUGS Julie Nicholls was about to do laundry in her West End apartment building a couple weeks ago when she discovered a homeless man had broken into the room. He'd locked the door, rigged up a towel to cover the window, defecated in a laundry basket, then fallen asleep. Nicholls, a letter carrier, called police, who escorted the man out of the building at Comox and Bute streets. But for the 41-year-old, the disturbing episode was just another sign of the neighbourhood's deterioration in recent years. Problems with crime and drug dealing have escalated to the point where she's written a letter of complaint to the mayor and is calling on other residents to follow suit in an effort to "take back the neighbourhood." Nicholls said she's tired of regularly calling police to report drug deals on her front steps or criminals trying to break into neighbouring buildings. A fellow dog-walker recently told her his pet ended up with a needle through its tongue during an outing at Nelson Park last year. Litter is often left scattered in alleyways after people comb through unlocked garbage cans for empty bottles, and Nicholls was threatened after confronting troublemakers. The most recent incident occurred last week. While walking her dog, Nicholls spotted a young man trying the doors of several apartment buildings, possibly looking for a place to shoot up. He found a door that wasn't shut properly and entered, prompting Nicholls to phone 911. "It seems like I'm always calling police. Officers have been good but you almost feel your number comes up and they go, 'Here she goes again.'" Nicholls suspects people's willingness to hand over change to panhandlers-a practice she insists should stop-has made the West End attractive to unsavory characters. In order to keep back alleys cleaner, she wants residents to put cans or bottles beside garage containers rather than in them, and warns apartment dwellers never to let strangers in their buildings. Front doors should be closed and locked, she said, since vagrants sometimes try to follow residents inside when they return home. Nicholls maintains police and city politicians are more concerned with ticketing owners of off-leash dogs or arresting people for selling used goods in Nelson Park than dealing with more critical issues like drug dealing. Provincial cutbacks haven't helped the situation, she said, since some people are no longer eligible for welfare and social programs have been eliminated. Nicholls said she's not unsympathetic to the plight of the homeless, but something needs to be done to clean up the West End. "It breaks my heart. I wish I could help everybody but it's people who crap on private property, people who are peeing under my window. I hope some people write to the mayor. The problem is not going to go away unless someone speaks up." Nelson Park, which sits across from Nicholls' apartment, was in the news recently when police and school officials rejected plans to place needle bins in the park. For Nicholls, such developments show how the community has changed over the years. "It used to be such a clean peaceful area. I'm feeling I'm going to have to move-it's not clean and safe anymore." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens