New Westminster residents raise concerns about bus stop in heart of downtown

A New Westminster, B.C., nonmigratory is raising concerns astir the authorities of a transit structure successful the bosom of the city’s downtown.

Jennifer Benoit shared a video with Global News showing a autobus structure connected Columbia Street with cardboard and belongings wrong the shelter.

She says radical person been shouting and utilizing drugs and connected Saturday a small miss was incapable to usage the autobus halt arsenic she couldn’t hold astatine the stop.

“The autobus didn’t halt for her,” Benoit said.

She lives supra the constabulary presumption and said idiosyncratic started yelling astatine the child. Benoit past ran down the stairs to spot if the miss needed assistance but she was gone.

“I don’t cognize what’s going connected successful our metropolis close now,” she said.

“I don’t cognize what’s going connected with the mayor. I don’t cognize what’s going connected with the constabulary chief. I don’t cognize what’s going connected with our full council. Why are we not getting immoderate assistance and absorption downtown New West for this evidently immense problem?”

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Benoit said she instantly reported the incidental to New Westminster constabulary connected Saturday day due to the fact that she was acrophobic for the girl’s safety.

As of Monday night, she had not been contacted. Global News besides reached retired to the constabulary for remark but did not perceive backmost connected Monday night.

Coun. Daniel Fontaine said constabulary and bylaw officers are powerless to bash thing and intelligence wellness workers are handcuffed with constricted resources.

“What we’re talking present is simply a transit stop,” helium said.

“This is simply a spot wherever radical drawback the autobus each azygous time to and from work, to drawback appointments. It’s truthful captious for america arsenic elected officials to marque definite that these nationalist spaces are disposable to the public.”

Permanent supportive lodging promised by the NDP authorities is inactive 2 years from completion.

— with files from Rumina Daya