Ottawa's police chief says the service's new downtown hub&nbsp;should open in late May as a multi-pronged plan to tackle social problems in the area&nbsp;shifts gears.

&nbsp;in&nbsp;the ByWard Market and Lowertown have complained the area is declining, and blame people stealing, asking for money and sleeping outside among the factors that led&nbsp;them there.

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and Ontario Premier Doug Ford 

said last month&nbsp;the city's downtown is less vibrant

&nbsp;than it once was as they detailed a spending plan to change that.

Accessing that money requires a city plan to improve safety, and Chief Eric Stubbs came to Monday's police board meeting with details 

Stubbs said police have taken possession of 

&nbsp;that fronts onto Rideau Street, which will become&nbsp;its new "neighbourhood operations centre."

Rideau Centre police hub may not open to public until 2025

The Ottawa Police Service's new downtown hub won't open to the public until at least 2025, the force's chief says. 

People cross a downtown city street in front of a mall entrance in autumn.

An entrance to the Rideau Centre mall on Rideau Street in downtown Ottawa on Oct. 20, 2023.

Rideau Centre street Ottawa

The Ottawa Police Service's future 'neighbourhood operations centre' at the Rideau Centre won't be open to the public when it launches next year and may not be until at least 2025, the force's police chief said in an update Monday.

His report&nbsp;frames&nbsp;that&nbsp;hub as the physical base&nbsp;of the&nbsp;five-part community outreach plan that also includes a mental health and housing outreach&nbsp;partnership, a community advisory board and targeted enforcement to deter crime.

A map of a city's downtown with red and orange dots mapping higher-crime areas.

Ottawa police put an example of a crime 'hot spot' map around Rideau Street from Feb. 19 to March 17, 2024. They say properly addressing areas where crimes are concentrated doesn't simply send that kind of activity elsewhere.

ottawa police hot spot 2024

 of more than 30 members first met last week.

It's focusing on the ByWard Market and Rideau Street, but can take on cases anywhere in Ottawa "to disrupt ongoing cycles of criminalization."

"[The group is]&nbsp;going to look at some of the more problematic folks that we have in that area and see if they can strategize&nbsp;how to get them on a more positive path,&nbsp;be it getting a house, addictions treatment,&nbsp;mental health interventions to try to&nbsp;manage them more positively than&nbsp;a criminal justice system," Stubbs told reporters before the meeting.

Stubbs said a number of programs will be formally launched around the time the hub opens.

If the model works, Stubbs said&nbsp;it can be used to help improve&nbsp;other parts of the city.

Ottawa police chief outlines 5-part plan to address downtown crime

The service’s new Rideau Centre hub will open late next month and serve as the base of operations for the new strategy. Rideau-Vanier Coun. Stėphanie Plante told us what she thinks it’ll do for her ward.

Ottawa police Chief Eric Stubbs, seen here late last year, says police are working closely with the city to 'restore safety and well-being to downtown Ottawa.'

Rideau Centre police hub on pace to open in late May

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