DOWNTOWN SPENDING WASTING TAX DOLLARS

 

COMMENTARY: Downtown Spending vs. Downtown Reality

There’s a bitter irony playing out in Nanaimo’s downtown core.

City Hall is spending millions to 'revitalize' downtown—Commercial Street rebuilds, a growing army of 30 Community Safety Officers, and funding for 15 more RCMP officers. Add to that marketing campaigns, beautification projects, and street activations—all under the banner of making downtown a destination once again.

But here’s the contradiction: while taxpayers are being told that downtown is 'safer and more vibrant than ever,' the very city staff working at City Hall in the heart of downtown don't feel safe in their own parking lot. So unsafe, in fact, that the City is now proposing to spend over $400,000 to fence themselves in—literally.

What does that say to the small businesses operating just steps away, without any wrought iron security budget? What message does that send to the merchants who’ve endured daily theft, vandalism, and intimidation while trying to keep their doors open?

It’s hard not to view this as one more symptom of a leadership disconnect. On the same mayor’s watch, the downtown core has seen chronic disorder spiral and public safety degrade—especially around the area of the Overdose Prevention Site.

Spending on appearances won’t fix the substance of downtown’s challenges. Fences, officers, and glossy plans can’t hide the fact that what was once a place for commerce and community is becoming a corridor of crisis and containment.

Real leadership would start by acknowledging the lived experience of downtown merchants and city staff alike—and admitting that no amount of beautification can substitute for basic safety and accountability.