Ward pihêsiwin councillor blogs about new public spaces bylaw ahead of Edmonton city council meeting
Coun. Tim Cartmell, who represents Ward pihêsiwin residents at Edmonton City Hall, penned a blog post about citizens’ sense of safety ahead of Wednesday’s special meeting on a proposed public spaces bylaw.
“Public spaces in Edmonton, whether they be parks, sidewalks or transit and LRT stations — must be safe and comfortable for the public who are there to use public spaces as intended,” Cartmell wrote in a blog post published on his website Monday.”Past councils and the current one have invested billions in an LRT system that people are now skittish about. Consistent communications to many councillors’ offices confirm for me that many people who would like to use our public transit system simply won’t — because they don’t feel safe.
“There are similar stories underlying a lingering reluctance among many in our city to come downtown or visit Whyte Avenue.”
The public spaces bylaw, also known as Bylaw 20700, is set to be discussed at a special city council meeting at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will be held virtually. Edmonton City Hall remains closed to the public after a violent incident there last month that saw someone fire gunshots in the building.
The proposed bylaw would replace multiple bylaws with a single piece of legislation that would cover a broad range of public behaviour in the city.
For example, the legislation would ban amplification systems like megaphones in all public spaces and outlaw ice skating on the North Saskatchewan River. More contentious rules being proposed include the prohibition of panhandling in or along roads or on medians, and not allowing people to stay on transit vehicles if the vehicle passes the same destination more than once.
Contravening the bylaw could result in fines.
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A number of people have raised concerns about the proposed bylaw going too far in trying to regulate public behaviour. Some have also questioned whether the bylaw will unfairly impact vulnerable Edmontonians, like those experiencing homelessness.
“It’s idiotic, undemocratic and unconstitutional and targeted at the most disadvantaged demographic in Edmonton,” criminal defence lawyer Tom Engel tweeted on Feb. 10.
Cartmell told Global News on Tuesday that he recognizes there are concerns about consequences that could emerge as a result of the bylaw but that implementing such legislation would also require the city to ensure those enforcing the rules are trained to help people in need of assistance.
“They’re not trying to hurt people,” he said. “They’re not trying to fine people into oblivion.
“The intent is not to collect a series of fines and put people in jail. That is not at all what we’re talking about. It is setting a level of expectation, setting a level of accountability.”
Last month, the city noted a year of consultations was held before the bylaw was drafted.
The city said 6,425 people completed an online survey to offer their thoughts on the proposed changes.
The city also held interviews with local organizations including Homeward Trust, Bissell Centre, Edmonton 2 Spirit Society, Alberta Public Interest Research Group and the Edmonton Downtown Business Association.
If council votes to approve the bylaw, it could be implemented by early May.
–With files from Global News’ Kendra Slugoski and Breanna Karstens-Smith
&© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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