The Ladysmith Kinsmen, Ladysmith Days, and the LDBA have partnered to bring you the Soapbox Derby once again! The event will be held during Ladysmith Days on Saturday, August 3rd @ 11am with driver registration stating at 10am. A helmet must be worn and some protective padding advised. The event will be held between Gatacre Street and the Library on First Avenue.
The LDBA board sat down recently for a planning session and we have set all the dates for our members meetings. Please mark your calendars.
We would really love to see more of our members at the members meetings. This is a great time to share any ideas or concerns. We are really excited for all that’s in store, and wish everyone a very successful 2025!
April 2023: We met with the Town to discuss the ongoing issue of parking. They are working to increase the budget for bylaw enforcement. Reminder to all business owners to please not park in front of your, or other businesses, as a joint effort to reduce the congestion downtown. We are working on a parking promotion to remind the locals of parking etiquette.
We want to make sure that you and your customers have easy access to and know about free downtown parking options.
We would like to ask that all business people, owners and employees please park in the designated parking lots and not on First Avenue and side streets.
We must ensure that there is available parking adjacent to the businesses where customers are shopping and doing business.
Ease of parking is directly related to customer traffic in our stores and businesses, the more easily a customer finds a parking spot near their intended destination, the more likely they are to patronize that business. And we can always use happier customers and more business!
We have been alerted that there have been several incidences downtown that left our members feeling unsafe and exposed. Wes Olson of the RCMP responded below.
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I’m not sure if the downtown business association is familiar with CPTED (Crime Prevention through Environmental Design). There are many things a business/homeowner can do to mitigate vandalism and thefts. Surveillance cameras can catch the act but unless there is a notifying feature on the camera that can alert the person monitoring the system then it is evidence gathering after the fact. I personally use Arlo Security cameras at my residence which I can monitor on my cell phone and receive alerts when motion triggers the camera to record. The cameras can be purchased at Best Buy or Costco when they have them. They work off a rechargeable battery and wi-fi so they can be mounted anywhere and are of good quality. They have built-in night vision so darkness is not a problem.
Trimming back hedges, removing big objects and improving lighting around buildings are other suggestions. Roving security patrols are also helpful. I believe there are security companies locally in the Cowichan Valley that offer this service. Police patrols can supplement the security patrols when we have time. Our ability to complete pro-active patrols is dependant upon response to Priority Calls for service and a member’s workload.
One must also be cautious of unreal expectations of what the court will do with an offender if we are successful in charging somebody. Unfortunately, property crime is not given the same weight as a person’s crime and generally, the punishment does not fit the crime especially in the eyes of the victim. Our priority offenders know the legal system well and are not fearful of it.
In my 31 years of policing, I have found that making things difficult on an offender is the best way to prevent criminal activity in specific areas. Offenders are creatures of habit and it’s like having a good fishing hole. People will keep going back to the same locations until all the fish are gone and then move onto a new target-rich environment. Locking doors/windows and having a strong covering like metal roller shades or bars, having a security system (alarm and cameras), having a well-lit area and nothing to hide behind are all things that make it difficult for an offender. They will move on to easier targets especially if their chances of getting caught are greater in one area over another.
Regards,
Wes Olson
W.W. OLSEN, S/Sgt
Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge
Ladysmith Detachment
PO Box 260, 320 6th Ave
Ladysmith, BC V9G 1A2
Tel: 250-245-2215
Fax: 250-245-6060 Wes.olsen@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
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