SURREY — The Surrey RCMP and city hall are developing a "comprehensive" plan to tackle crime and social ills along Whalley's notorious 135A Street but exactly what that will entail remains to be seen.
Chief Superintendent Dwayne McDonald isn't revealing details prior to the plan's launch, which is expected to happen "in the weeks to come." Nor is Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner, who is calling it "a work in progress."
McDonald did say that "it's not strictly a law enforcement, policing focus that we're looking to adopt in that area."
The plan, he said, "will not only provide a strong measure of public safety in the area, but also will help us to address the social issues and transition people into the services that they need in order to meet the struggle they are dealing with."
Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner said she sees "the vulnerability of that area all of the time" given 135A Street's proximity to city hall.
"I can tell you quite frankly that we spend hundreds of thousands of dollars from bylaw work as well that goes on there.
"When we announce in the coming weeks what it is we are going to do there, it will include many different services and I can say to you right now that we will be closer to the ground in that area with what we're going to be putting together in the coming weeks."
Asked to flesh out the details, Hepner told the Now "We won't be doing that today; it's a work in progress."
tom.zytaruk@thenownewspaper.com