Downtown Sydney discussion on vandalism will not be open to public

A meeting to discuss increased vandalism in downtown Sydney will not be open to the public or the media.

“Our priority is to protect the privacy of our members and allow them to openly discuss any questions they may have related to the program,” said Michelle Wilson, Downtown Sydney Development Association’s executive director.

Several businesses have sustained damage in recent months, angering owners in the downtown core.

The meeting will take place Wednesday evening and comes after calls for more security and police patrols on Charlotte Street and the surrounding area.

“We understand that you may wish to report on the meeting, and to that end, we will be happy to provide you with a summary of the next steps by the end of the week,” said Wilson.

The municipal councillor for the area says he’s heard from concerned business owners and says steps are being taken to find solutions to the problem.

“To rectify the issue we need to have a collaborative approach from all parties involved to work together for the betterment of downtown as a whole,” said Eldon MacDonald, CBRM District 5 councillor.

MacDonald says there are also concerns of derelict unsightly premises that need to have a direct message delivered to property owners that immediate action on clean-up is expected or the property will be put on the demolition list.

“My message to staff yesterday in discussions was immediate action is needed to start the renovation process, if not sell the property or CBRM will be delivering a $300,000 tax bill to the owners,” said MacDonald.

Cape Breton Regional Police could not say immediately how many calls they’ve received about vandalism in downtown Sydney, but says their community officer has been working directly with the Downtown Sydney Development Association on crime prevention education and awareness, including a Business Watch program.

“Police are conducting extra patrols and presence in the area. Not unlike previous years, as the weather gets nicer, we see more people and more activity in the downtown area and we want to ensure that downtown is a safe space for everyone who uses it,” said Desiree Magnus, CBRP spokesperson.

Wilson says key takeaways, any action items, or any other relevant public information from the meeting will be released in the coming days.

For more local stories, please visit our regional pages.