Addition of security for downtown parking garage dominates budget talks

The situation in a downtown municipal parking garage is serving as a microcosm of North Bay's overall social issues.

According to a City of North Bay report from the Parking Department, the 150-vehicle parking garage has become a common source of those very issues for its staff.

"These individuals are leaving garbage, used needles, furniture, blood and human waste for City crews to clean up in the mornings. It has become a not uncommon occurrence to find unknown individuals using intravenous drugs and sleeping in the facility."

The City staff "tasked with moving individuals along who are using the facility as a shelter and have expressed safety concerns."

The security and safety of the parking garage for citizens were also called into question in September when a local woman who parks in the facility had a wheel stolen off her vehicle after it was jacked up onto wooden blocks while she was at work.

After the owner of the vehicle contacted the police and the City, she was told all the security cameras were operational on the day of the incident but the image quality of one of the cameras nearby the vehicle had an "image-quality issue," and was promised patrols would increase and options were being looked at.

In discussions surrounding the 2022 operating budget, a line item for $42,350 to provide overnight security at the McIntyre Street West municipal parking garage elicited respectful debate among North Bay City Council members as to whether it should be kept or discarded.

From May until mid-October, the security detail assigned to the municipal marina patrols the parking garage. The parking department proposes hiring full-time security for the $42,350 to patrol the parking garage from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m., seven days per week, for the other 31 weeks of the year. 

Some around the table feel this is an example of throwing money at the problem without addressing the root causes.

Coun. Scott Robertson called the security option a "band-aid solution," to an upstream problem and Deputy Mayor Tanya Vrebosch agreed, noting moving along people seeking shelter does not address the underlying issues at play.

Coun. Bill Vrebosch suggested the North Bay Police Service adjust patrols to include the parking garage and scrapping the expense for security altogether. Police Chief Scott Tod is scheduled to meet with City staff on both the parking garage and the NBPS budget this week.

Coun. George Maroosis also asked questions of Ron Melnyk, the City's by-law enforcement officer regarding possible patrols by his staff.

A suggestion from Coun. Mark King about making the garage "security tight" to not "allow transient traffic," was acknowledged by City Engineer John Severino as having met resistance from nearby businesses for fear of losing out on two-hour free parking for their customers.

Mayor Al McDonald joined the conversation, observing an increase in parking fees to pay for the security could be an option. McDonald noted covered parking in the winter often goes for a premium over outdoor parking in other centres.

Meanwhile, Coun. Dave Mendicino, who sits on the Downtown North Bay board shared discussions have been going on for months on the parking garage situation. It is hoped the downtown outreach program and community agencies assist with the situation by providing the individuals with options, rather than finding shelter in the parking garage all winter long.