Assaults leaving downtown with ‘unduly’ bad rap
Almost two weeks after Marlene Bird was assaulted near the Margo Fournier Center, a suspect has not been charged and some in the community are still on edge.
Mayor Greg Dionne, who is the former councillor of that ward, as well as the former manager of the Gateway Mall, which is located near the scene of the incident, said downtown has an “unduly” bad rap.
“It is not as bad as people make it out to be, simply because I have represented that area and now represent the city and our focus is making everyone in our community safe and I know, for example, on this incident with Marlene Bird that … we have every means going to solve this case,” Dionne said.
He added a lot of the danger in the downtown is more about perceptions than facts. According to statistics released by the Prince Albert Police Service, assaults in Zone 8 (the zone Bird was found June 1) has actually dropped from 2012 to 2013 by 20.8 per cent.