Pubdate: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 Source: Langley Times (CN BC) Copyright: 2004 BC Newspaper Group and New Media Development Contact: http://www.langleytimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1230 Author: Monique Tamminga MERCHANTS FRUSTRATED WITH CRIME, DRUGS Downtown Langley has a drug and crime problem that's on the rise, and whether or not that has anything to do with Ethical Addictions Coffee House, merchants want it cleaned up. At a closed meeting held by Downtown Langley Merchants Association Wednesday night, store owners shared stories about heroin needles plugging up store toilets, prostitutes servicing drug dealers in back alleys, petty theft, crack addicts harassing staff for money and people smoking marijuana outside their front doors. While the meeting was supposed to be focused on Ethical Addictions attracting 'undesirable' clientele, many DLMA members concentrated on the increasing drug and crime problems taking over all of downtown. Senior staff of Langley RCMP were there to hear business owners' concerns, but could offer little help. "I don't have a magic bullet," said Supt. Cliff MacDonald. "We can't clean up downtown ourselves. It's labour intensive for us to bust one drug trafficker who then goes to court and is out the next day." Despite DLMA's request for more police presence, MacDonald said there is no budget for Mounties to start walking the beat. "We also can't scoop someone because they're smoking a joint," said MacDonald, who explained that the Department of Justice has made it clear it won't proceed with possession charges. Police suggested merchants consider purchasing video surveillance equipment. At the meeting, some store owners were intent on pointing the finger at Ethical Addictions as the source for downtown's problems. Bryce Jeffery, who owns a law practice across the street from the cafe, said the criminal element is there at Ethical Addictions, he's seen it. "There is a sociological experiment going on there. We knew going in that was the game plan before it opened," he said. Next door to EA, the owners of Sunflowers Gift and Flower Shop said they are losing customers because of the cafe. "Most are good, but it's the littering, the pot, spitting on people, rude, rude kids," said Anne Seifried. "I remember we were here a year ago, talking about the coffee house. They removed the tables outside, we had (RCMP) bike patrol and it solved the problem. Now here we are again." EA owner John Enns told the DLMA members that he sympathizes with them because he has all the same problems. "There is extreme elements of drug dealing and prostitution and we have a zero tolerance for it. If we can identify it, we deal with it," said Enns, who has hired security five nights a week. Enns questioned how people could accuse him of attracting the criminal element on purpose, when his EA coffeehouse in Abbotsford doesn't share any of these problems. "Before we opened our coffee house (at 204 Street and Fraser Highway) we only had to look over at the fountain to see suspicious activity," he said. "We've lived on Eastleigh Crescent, gone to church here for 17 years, we know the problems here." Opus Framing and Art Supplies general manager Kalaine Devine agreed, saying she's had break-ins before EA opened and after. "It's not just the one way that has problems either, we just moved from there to next to the IGA and we have crack addicts outside our door everyday," she said. "This is not Ethical's problem, it is all our problem. The city offers low rent and it's at the end of the bus line. This problem will keep growing." But Mayor Marlene Grinnell told Enns he has to do more. "There were undesirables wanting to run his coffee shop, he took it back from them, but they may have people wanting to take advantage of Mr. Enns again," Grinnell said. She urged all the merchants to reclaim their turf, watch their front doors, back doors and their neighbours in hopes of pushing problem people out. "The sooner the better or people will perceive that the casino brought these problems in," she said. DLMA chair Evan Williams, who organized the forum, emphasized that action will be taken. "This meeting isn't just 'window dressing. There are actions we can do collectively . . . Ten years ago downtown was nothing. We (the DLMA and its members) made it inviting, it's our living room," Williams said. DLMA members suggested hiring a bike security patrol for the area and/or have merchants set up a volunteer patrol, letting police know of illegal activity. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman