On November 10, I held a community safety meeting to discuss resident concerns in the vicinity of Bayswater and Somerset, and the immediate area. We held the meeting in the wake of several violent incidents beginning on October 21 when there was the discharge of a firearm in the street, followed in relatively quick succession by a knifepoint robbery, gunpoint robbery, then a stabbing. The Happy Goat coffee was packed with around 90 residents to discuss the incidents, and what we as a community could do.
I can't summarize the whole meeting in one post, but there were several highlights that should be pointed out.
Multiple residents told us that the Vibe Cafe at that corner, and the parking lot next to it, has been a challenge for several years. Even though Vibe lost its liquor licence this year, residents continue to feel unsafe in its vicinity as they say persons who congregate in the parking lot act aggressively to people living nearby. Residents spoke about drug and drinking activity in the vicinity that is unacceptable. The recent fights on the street are consistent with what residents describe as a perpetual problem in the area.
Residents have become increasingly concerned about repeated violent and disruptive incidents at the corner of Bayswater/Somerset and its immediate area. Most recently very early Saturday morning, there was a stabbing. This follows the discharge of a firearm at the corner on October 21.
Please join me, the Hintonburg Community Association, and Ottawa Police Service for a community meeting to discuss the ongoing problems in this area. The meeting will be held at Happy Goat Coffee, 35 Laurel Street, on Thursday November 10 from 7:30 PM to 9 PM. We will have an opportunity to hear from police about what they can share about the incident, and to explore community solutions to the ongoing problems.
Rest assured that the City, the police and I are aware of the ongoing problems. Efforts to address them have been longstanding. If you have information about criminal or suspicious activity in this area, please contact the Ottawa Police Service at 613.236.1212.
