'It's about creating a healthy, caring community'
Oct 29, 2008 - 10:48 AM
By Keith Gilligan
AJAX -- The strategy is now in place to ensure Ajax remains safe.
After about 18 months of work, including numerous meetings and collecting input from hundreds, the Community Safety Strategy was adopted by Ajax council on Monday. The strategy has 66 'action items' broken up into short-term (one to two years), medium-term (three to four) and long-term (five plus years).
Among the items in the short term are creating a 'tool kit' to help residents host neighbourhood events and to create neighbourhood associations; host events that support community development; research the impact and effectiveness of having lights along walkways and in public places; and, hold anti-gang strategy workshops for service providers and parents.
Having a safety strategy was the "number-one strategic priority" for the Town, said Marilou Murray, assistant to the chief administrative officer.
The strategy is an "actionable, strategic planning document," she said to council, adding it provides "a sound basis for implementing sustainable solutions.
"It's about creating a healthy, caring community," she said. "It's more than catching bad guys and putting them behind bars. Community safety is about community well-being."
Several community groups worked with the Town on the document, including the Durham Regional Police, the two school boards, the Community Development Council Durham (CDCD), the John Howard Society, Safe Communities of Pickering-Ajax, The Youth Centre, and Durham Region social services department.
The strategy is posted on the Town's website.
"Residents said they don't know their neighbours, there's no social cohesion," Ms. Murray said. "There's a perception youth crime is increasing. Youth crime and all crime is decreasing.
"Students don't feel as safe in school as they use to," she said, adding, 85 per cent say "they feel safe and 15 per cent say they don't feel safe and that's worthy of our consideration."
"It's exciting to see the Town of Ajax take such an active role. The value of the plan is it was created in Ajax for Ajax," Tracey Vaughan of CDCD said.
"We all have to work together. This is one of the strengths in our plan," Ms. Vaughan said. "We are extremely excited about this plan and we're excited to be part of it. It's a wonderful, wonderful opportunity for the residents of Ajax."
There are 33 items to be undertaken in the first two years, which Wards 3 and 4 Regional Councillor Colleen Jordan called "ambitious."
"When we think of a safety strategy, we think of youth and we have a lot of work to do educating the community. We really do need to dispel myths about youths," Ward 3 local Councillor Joanne Dies said.
One of the action items is a 'stand-alone' youth facility, to be opened in three to five years.â?¨ "I'd like to see that done sooner," Coun. Dies said.
A common complaint among youths is there's nothing to do in the community, she said. "We need to look at leisure space for youth."
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