Rhonda and David Lindsay have owned the Prepare Station Pub in downtown Kelowna, B.C., for 14 years, however say it’s turning into more and more tough and unsafe to function the enterprise.
“In the early years, we didn’t have these problems,” mentioned pub co-owner David Lindsay, referring to crime-related points reminiscent of vandalism and public drug use.
The couple has launched a web-based petition calling on the province to behave following the newest incident on the restaurant, which may have resulted of their patrons being harm.
Final Monday, a person walked by the out of doors eating patio and threw a glass bottle at it with full drive.
Surveillance footage reveals shards of glass flying onto the patio.
“Five, six minutes earlier, we had a guest with a dog sitting right there…and another table, two or three tables down, also witnessed it,” David Lindsay mentioned. “Luckily there was nobody sitting there but it could have been different for sure.”
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A few weeks prior, a person, who the pub house owners say they acknowledged having a weapon up to now, locked himself in a stall within the girls’s washroom with one other patron subsequent to him.
“We sat on hold I think it was about seven minutes with RCMP until we got through,” Rhonda Lindsay mentioned. “We had to figure out a way to get them out, which we ended up using bug spray for. We don’t want to have to do that…but when you are on your own, what do you do.”
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After ongoing pleas with no motion, the Lindsay’s have taken to Change.org, hoping it spurs the province to do extra to assist Kelowna companies coping with vandalism, break and enters, shoplifting and different unsafe incidents.
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The petition reads partially, “Our team members are being asked to act as crisis responders. Our guests are exposed to unpredictable situations. And our businesses are left to absorb the cost, risk, and emotional toll.”
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“We’ve had lip service for years, ” David Lindsay mentioned. “We’ve met with the city and RCMP…there’s only so much in their hands. We need to take this up the flag pole and the province needs to get serious about it.”
“I visited Kelowna and met many of the same business owners and community members,” mentioned Terry Yung. “I’m very optimistic to work closely with the Kelowna community, with the mayor and council, as well as the RCMP detachment to make some positive changes.”
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The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce mentioned it’s not stunned a web-based petition has been launched, including it speaks to the desperation many entrepreneurs are feeling over the lack to function viable companies given the crime-related points.
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“They’re all experiencing it, whether it’s property crime, shoplifting is like an epidemic here and just, you know, people loitering around properties, employees not feeling safe,” mentioned Chamber CEO George Greenwood.
Greenwood mentioned the Chamber is frequently fielding calls from involved enterprise operators – lots of whom he mentioned specific deep frustration on the inaction to unravel the issue.
Greenwood mentioned town and RCMP have performed quite a bit to try to fight the issue however the essential adjustments want to come back from increased ranges of presidency.
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“I really commend the city for all of the efforts they’re doing. They have limited resources,’ Greenwood said. “They’re not getting resources from the province. We hear lots of words coming out. We hear tragic events happening here in Kelowna and the federal government saying there’s going to be reform. Well, that needed to happen years ago, and we’re suffering the results of it now.”
Greenwood fears if enhancements aren’t made, some companies will name it quits.
“They’re going to close some of these businesses. They have no other option right now. They’re paying for extra security. They’re losing staff. They’re having difficult time staffing,” Greenwood mentioned. “They’re just going to close.”
Rhonda Lindsay fears inaction may end in somebody getting critically harm, whether or not throughout an incident or whereas taking issues into their very own fingers.
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“People are so desensitized and so fed up that someone will do something in a moment and that is not what we need,” she mentioned.
