| GUELPH
Private security will crack down
Plaza
Fed up with loitering teenagers
By
Andrew Brucer
The Guelph Mercury
High school students are being kept clear of an Eranmosa Road strip plaza
by "private police" hired in response to loitering and
misbehaving students.
Tim Hortons, a magnet
for students from John E. Ross high school across the street has pushed
for the hiring of two security guards to patrol Bull Frog plaza and keep
it clear of loiterers.
"There is a problem with
excessive loitering and
unacceptable behavior," said Tim Hortons spokesperson Greg Skinner.
"The
plaza, with Tim Hortons footing the bill at least initially, has hired
Sheprott K-9 Security to station two uniformed officers at the plaza
Monday to Friday, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The new security
presence started Monday.
The company has taken the same action outside
stores in Hamilton and Burlington.
"We like to be known as a family
restaurant, "said Skinner.
The company that manages the plaza, White
Caps Property Management Ltd., says most merchants support the security
officers as a solution to a problem neither police nor the school board
have the resources to resolve.
"We have had to resort to a private
police force," said Ken Fish, president of White Caps.
All the
merchants in the plaza will be asked to pay by White Caps and eventually
the security might become a basic service supported through tenant
agreements.
"We're looking at some sort of permanent
program "said Fish.
Fish said the plaza has been talking with
officials at John E. Ross, the Upper Grand District School Board and
police about loitering problems and related petty crimes, since
1998.
Concerns raised include youths swearing at adults, throwing snowballs
at maintenance crews, lighting fires in garbage cans, attempting to play
sports in the parking lot and other "social order" issues, said
Fish.
There have been more serious incidents as well, including fighting,
he said.
Fish noted that youths are not banned
from the strip plaza. They are welcome to make purchases. No
one - neither adults nor youths - will be allowed to stand around on the
sidewalk or parking lot.
"It's not like
that they can't come to the plaza. They can come and go like any
normal citizen." he said.
John F. Ross students are not happy about
the security.
Jeff Witmell, a Grade 11 student, said he feels youth are
being unfairly targeted by the plaza and won't go there anymore.
"I'm
not going to waste my time," he said.
I think they are going to lose a
lot of business," added Witmells's friend, Grade 12 Student Nick
Helder.
Hair solon owner Rita Cross said she
is glad to see the crowds of students kept away. Over the last two
years, problems have become worse than ever, with fights and vandalism
escalating, she said. "Its not good for business," she
said.
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All
Quiet - Security has been hired to patrol Bull Frog Mall
at Eramosa
Road and Stevenson Street to keep loiters from
collecting at the
plaza. Students from John F. Ross high
school across the street
used to frequent the plaza in large
groups and were particularly
drawn to the Tim Hortons there.
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