Vandalism threatens future of hub for Winnipeg's Filipino community in North Point Douglas

A hub for Winnipeg's Filipino community is concerned about a spike in vandalism incidents over recent weeks, damaging the space in North Point Douglas and scaring people away from visiting the centre. 

"We don't want to move anywhere else, but we have no choice. If people won't come here, how will we be able to sustain the needs of this building," said Aida Champagne, a chair of the Filipino Seniors Group of Winnipeg.

The not-for-profit has been operating a building on Euclid Avenue since the 1980s, renting the space to tenants to offer community programming. 

"This has been the home of our Filipino seniors," Champagne said, but also for younger generations who now take dance classes at the centre. 

The building was vandalized in December just before Christmas, she said, and the glass panels in the front door were smashed. 

Over the last week, the building was vandalized once again. Champagne said the back fence was cut open, and the condenser for the air conditioners was knocked down to the ground. 

The door on the building's first floor has been boarded, while the fence and air conditioner chain would have to be replaced. 

"We're trying our very best to maintain the facility for our community," Champagne said, but the repairs are economically taxing, and it is uncertain how long the centre can sustain itself if vandalism continues. 

Calls to bolster police presence

The string of vandalism is also putting the centre's safety into question, and Champagne fears that people will be scared to come into the neighbourhood and tenants renting the space will move elsewhere. 

The building relies on bookings to pay insurance, bills and general maintenance. Three tenants rent the space now, including the Savior Christian Church, which has hosted services at the centre for about eight years. 

"It was a blessing that they accepted us to rent here," said pastor Rodrigo Crispin. 

While the congregation isn't looking for a new home to worship any time soon, he said the sense of safety in the community has been challenged in recent months. 

Some people coming into Sunday's service have been reportedly caught stealing by administration staff, and in the building's parking lot, an armed man tried to open the pastor's nephew's car in the summer, he said. 

"As much as we believe that God protects us … there are some incidents really that are scary,"  Crispin said. "We have kids, and that's what we care about when it comes to safety."

He would like to see more police presence in the area. Champagne agrees with this idea and said designated foot patrols around the neighbourhood could beef up security and prevent incidents of vandalism. 

She is also concerned about the fires in vacant buildings close by. A few blocks away from the centre, the vacant Holy Ascension Greek Orthodox Church on Euclid Avenue caught fire in early January. Days later, the Sutherland Hotel was reduced to a pile of rubble after a blaze.  

"It scares the people away from this neighbourhood," she said.

The centre has filed an incident report for December's vandalism and will do the same for last week's damages. They also plan to reinstall security cameras at the building's front to pair with the alarm system.

However, the centre's board of directors wants to meet with the local councillor and other stakeholders in the area to improve security. Otherwise, they fear that if no action is taken and the vandalism continues, they will be forced out of North Point Douglas.  

 "We don't wanna lose our roots in this community," Champagne said.

"So many good memories happen in this building … that's why we really love to stay here."