Sexual assault highlights need for foot patrol, says Osborne Village BIZ

A young woman says she was sexually assaulted in Osborne Village Friday night, prompting renewed calls for more city funding for foot patrols through the busy neighbourhood known for its vibrant nightlife.

The 18-year-old woman says she was walking near River Avenue and Osborne Street around 10:30 p.m., when a man grabbed her by the arm.

Police say he took her to a nearby secluded area where he sexually assaulted her.

The Osborne Village BIZ launched its foot patrol earlier this year, but BIZ executive director Stephanie Meilleur says it's struggling after the city denied a request for funding.

"We only have $60,000 to spend and that doesn't go all that far," said Meilleur when reached by CBC News over the weekend.

To come up with the money to start the program, the Biz cut down about 50 per cent of its overhead expenses, laid off staff (Meilleur is the lone Biz staff member now), trimmed down its Canada Day decoration budget and moved out of its former office for a smaller space to make the foot patrol a reality. 

But the BIZ had to cut back on the number of foot patrols they do because of the lack of funding, said Meilleur, and while they were working Friday night, members weren't in the area when the assault occurred.

"They may not have been at that particular location at that particular moment," said Meilleur.

Under the budget crunch, Meilleur said the patrols' staff of four work five days a week, on hours that fluctuate from day to night, depending on when they expect they may be most needed.

The BIZ is looking for an extra $20,000 to $30,000 in funding for the program from the city's next budget. It's money Meilleur says could help the patrols work seven days a week.

"It's the additional hours — that's where we really need to be strict with our money. They can only be on the streets so many hours a day with that amount of money," she said.

Miles Gould owns the Cornerstone Restaurant and Bar at the corner of River Avenue and Osborne Street and says the Cornerstone keeps extra staff around to make sure employees have someone to leave with after they're done work at night.

"All of our staff are aware to walk in groups, and we always have people on board. If someone finishes around midnight — even though we're still open — we have extra people who are able to walk that person to wherever they're going to," he said.

"We have a rule that nobody leaves alone when we are leaving work, because we're open until 2 a.m. So sometimes people are there until 3 a.m., but they always leave in groups afterwards."

Gould, who sits on the BIZ board, says because the Village is home to a variety of different businesses that operate at different hours of the day, a full-time foot patrol presence is important for the safety of both patrons and those who visit the neighbourhood.

"We've been fighting to get as much money as possible for it and trying to find what other things we can sacrifice in order to improve the funding for the foot patrol," he said.

"The board has a number of different business owners who work a number of different hours and have different customers, so we really want it to be able to be useful to everyone, and unfortunately, it's not right now."

He said the funding issue will be top of mind when the BIZ meets for its AGM on Dec. 20.

In the meantime, Meilleur said the patrol's ambassador program provides safe walks anywhere within the Village on Friday and Saturday evenings. The safe walks can be ordered by calling 204-797-0381.