Moncton Multicultural Association Concerned Downtown Safety Will Drive Away Businesses
MONCTON–Businesses in downtown Moncton could be forced to move elsewhere over safety concerns, Ronald Gaudet told Moncton City Council on Monday night.
Gaudet, the Executive Director of the Multicultural Association of the Greater Moncton Area (MAGMA), recounted negative experiences in the downtown area and warned of the consequences of inaction.
“Organizations such as MAGMA and businesses [who] support a downtown core will be forced to place safety and concern of our staff and clients over our desire to be in downtown Moncton,” Gaudet said during the time allotted for public presentations.
Instances of concern brought forward by Gaudet included a fire on Monday morning that he said nearly destroyed the Community Peace Centre on Church Street, which is the location of the MAGMA headquarters. Gaudet said people started a fire using wooden pallets to stay warm.
Moncton Fire confirmed the blaze to our newsroom, which occurred in the parking area for the facility.
A MAGMA van was also recently vandalized with over $8000 in damage, Gaudet told council.
“Staff have been sworn at, pushed, harassed, followed. We have had strangers, that are either intoxicated or strung out, come into our daycare, come into our classrooms, come into our hallways, washrooms and elevators,” said Gaudet.
When stating what the future could hold should these issues persist, Gaudet spoke of a previous era when Downtown Moncton was in “peril” with boarded-up buildings filling in the area because of a mass exiting.
While concluding his presentation, Gaudet said MAGMA wants to be part of the solution rather than one of the organizations forced out of the downtown core.
He added they fully acknowledge and appreciate the 27 actions outlined in the action plan to address homelessness and downtown security. But Gaudet warned that if they are not acted on in the immediate future with conviction, the community will lose.
Robert Lothian is a reporter with 91.9 The Bend in Moncton, a Huddle content partner.