INNISFAIL – There has been a muzzling of the prolonged rowdyism problem at Innisfail's Centennial Park.
Not totally deflated mind you but Innisfail’s elected leaders and staff believe they are on the right track after desperately trying to find the right solution for the past four years.
“I see an improvement year on year, and certainly that engagement of the individuals,” said Gary Leith, protective services manager for the Town of Innisfail, during a presentation at town’s council’s Agenda & Priorities meeting on March 18. “As for youth gatherings, as long as they are not causing trouble, not making noise and not becoming a nuisance, it is the key.
“And certainly, what we've seen is building those relationships with the youth and saying, ‘look, if you're not going to behave we're going to move you on.'”
Mayor Jean Barclay, a strong proponent for improved behaviour at Centennial Park, also believes progress has been made by staff to silence Centennial Park's rowdyism.
“I feel with the awareness that has taken place the last three to four years things have improved,” said Barclay, adding deterrent measures such as cement blocks placed through the middle of the parking lot, a speed bump at the parking lot’s entrance, signage and the installation of CCTV cameras have all made a collective positive difference.
In 2022 Barclay pushed for the installation of a timed gate at the park's entrance; a measure that could have cost the town $27,000 but the rest of council said no.
The mayor said at the time it wasn’t a proposal to shut the park down, just restricting access to the parking lot between certain hours.
“Council voted not to do that, and these other measures have been implemented, and that has certainly helped,” said Barclay.
Coun. Gavin Bates said he noticed over the past winter while visiting the park on the way to the Innisfail Twin Arena that the gathering and stunting has been “virtually non-existent compared to what it was.
“Spring might usher in something new but I do think there's been a lot of progress,” said Bates.
In the meantime, there are more measures to come in 2024, said Leith.
He said these measures include electronic speed signs for recording volume of traffic and speeds, and joint force traffic operation (JFO’s) by municipal enforcement and RCMP.
He said there will also be an adjustment in the hours of community peace officers to enable additional patrols.
Leith said this will be done by foot, bicycles and quads during the park’s busier times to assist in the engagement of the youth and public.
Barclay wanted to know from Leith whether a plan is in place to monitor speeding on 49th Avenue, 52nd Avenue, 42nd Street and 60th Avenue.
Leith replied by stating peace officers as of May 1 will go on their summer schedules, with contact hours increased from 40 to 60 hours a week.
As for the speeding “hot spots” the mayor identified, Leith said his team now has the ability to mount mobile speed signs in different areas and produce reports on traffic speeds and volumes.
“We can identify key times where speeds are more prevalent and we relay that back to the RCMP who can then focus up on those particular times,” said Leith. “Certainly enforcement is always a challenge once we put visible vehicles out there and people to capture those individuals because they do naturally adjust their behaviour because they see the vehicle out there.”
Coun. Jason Heistad wanted Leith’s take on lowering motorists’ speed from 50 kilometres an hour to 40 in certain areas of town.
Leith said when the town utilizes speed signs and recording data along Cemetery Hill and other locations it has been determined that 85 per cent of motorists on that stretch of road are complying with the posted speed limit.
“Certainly our safety record on our roads within our community is good, or I would perceive it as good, and certainly the compliance that we see from that data supports that as well,” said Leith.
A motion was introduced by Coun. Dale Dunham to accept Leith’s Centennial Park update report as information. It was passed unanimously.
