Safe Streets, Welcoming Spaces: Building an Inclusive Downtown

Member News

Downtown Reimagined
Culture, Community, and Concerts: The Power of Placemaking
A Summer Series from the London Chamber of Commerce
 
When most people think of cities, they think of the hustle and bustle of downtown cores. People walking, sightseeing, eating on patios, and a general lively atmosphere with events, festivals, and entertainment. In order for all of these things to happen, people must feel safe to come downtown and have easy access to these spaces. Obstacles such as open air drug use, inaccessible infrastructure, and lack of efficient transportation are all a detriment to the success of our core. When these obstacles are addressed and corrected, Londoners will feel more welcomed into their core and our downtown will feel more alive. 
Physical barriers that prevent people from moving and living downtown are an active deterrent for people to be in the core. From sidewalks to doorways to crosswalks, or infrastructure determines how many people are able to enjoy our city. These pieces of infrastructure must be accessible for all in order to realize the potential of our city. This includes accessible transportation such as paratransit to help move people where they need to go.
When you ask Londoners why they don’t go downtown, one of the  the most common responses you will hear is that they are concerned about crime. Our downtown has been caught in a loop of crime rising due to lack of foot traffic and diminished foot traffic because of rising crime. The recent efforts of the London Police Service have been helping but there is more to be done.  By clearing the streets of open air drug use and offering more help to those caught in the cycle of homelessness and addiction, we can help break that loop and people will return downtown. The safety of our city becomes easier to maintain when there are more people downtown. Active foot traffic deters crime by placing more eyes on the street. The best way to get people downtown and ensure that crime is reduced is by providing everyone with a space where they feel welcomed. Cultural events, restaurants, and community spaces are all opportunities for different people to come together in our core.

What the Chamber Recommends:
To promote our downtown as a vibrant place that attracts people and culture, the London Chamber of Commerce recommends the following:
  • Ensure that our downtown is accessible
Invest in accessible infrastructure and ensure that accessibility standards are being upheld. If people are held back by aging, inaccessible infrastructure, they will not want to return to the core. Downtown should be enjoyed by everyone and not just those that are able-bodied.
  • Create an atmosphere that is safe
Increased foot patrol and police presence is a step in making people feel safer when they come to the core. Once the core is lively again, crime will be less prevalent and safety will be easier to maintain. Continuing efforts to reduce open air drug use will make our city look and feel safer.
  • Use inclusivity as a tool to reduce crime
Safety in numbers. When more people come downtown for cultural events, entertainment, food, or to live, crime is reduced as there are less places for criminals to hide. If people feel included with welcoming spaces, we can create a positive feedback loop where more and more people are attracted to the core.
 
What You Can Do
  • Speak up. Let the City know what will make the downtown core feel safer and more accessible for you. Visit Get Involved London and share your ideas.
  • Stay informed. Follow this summer series as we explore the key areas of the plan.
  • Connect with us. Reach out to the Chamber with your insights, questions, or challenges - we want to hear from you.
Let’s co-create a downtown where community thrives, creativity flourishes, and everyone feels they belong.

Next up: “If You Build It, They Will Come: Infrastructure for the Next Generation”
 
 
 

Safe Streets, Welcoming Spaces: Building an Inclusive Downtown