CalgaryPolice Service & Bylaw Service

The Victoria Park BRZ sustains close relationships with Bylaw Services and the Calgary Police Service to address problematic and illegal activity compromising public safety in the area. Direct liaison with the Calgary Police Service is maintained through a Community Liaison Officer.

Clean to the Core

Clean to the Core started in 2006 with funding from the Office of the Mayor. The five Centre City BRZs (Calgary Downtown Association, 4th Street, Kensington, Uptown 17 and Victoria Park) engaged the services of a professional street maintenance contractor to help enhance the existing services provided by The City of Calgary in the Centre City.

Some of these additional services include:

• Power washing of public spaces
• Picking up litter and debris
• Removal of weeds
• Removal of overflowing garbage bags from public garbage receptacles
• Reporting and repairing damaged street furniture

In 2009 due to City of Calgary  budget cut backs, funding for this program was reduced from $200,000 per year to $140,000 per year. Despite this, the BRZ has, through its own independent contract, been able to maintain the same overall level of service to our members.

For more information about the Clean to the Core program, watch this video.

Off the Wall Graffiti Abatement Team

Initiated in 2005, this annual program is funded by The City of Calgary and managed by the Calgary Downtown Association, with the primary goal to report, record, and remove graffiti on public property in hopes of preventing future graffiti crimes. The team is also available to assist businesses with graffiti removal on building frontages if necessary. 

In 2009 the Off the Wall Team removed a total of 1,741 graffiti “tags” and unwanted stickers.

Outreach Program

Introduced in the summer of 2008, the Outreach Program is a collaboration between the Victoria Park BRZ and the Calgary Downtown Association. The Outreach Team focuses on providing street level intelligence and establishing relationships with the area’s homeless and panhandling population in order to refer them to appropriate social services.

Data gathered in the spring/summer of 2009 indicated a sharp decline in panhandling and other street level incivilities over previous years, but an increase in the amount of “bottle picking”. This data is being shared with the Center City Safety Impact Team to help refine policing and bylaw enforcement strategies in the Centre City.

The Mustard Seed Street Ministry “Good Neighbour Agreement”

Since its implementation in 2008, adjacent business and property owners to the Mustard Seed have noted a dramatic increase in the overall quality of the public realm. Despite political pressure, the Mustard Seed has honored its commitments to no line ups, no provisioning of emergency services, and no drop-in food services at their Centre Street location. 

The BRZ commends the Mustard Seed in its efforts and offers our full support in maintaining emergency operations at the Foothills shelter.

Nighttime Economy Research

Building a truly great city requires an investment in all phases of the economy, from daytime business and retail, evening theatre and dining, to late-night music and entertainment.  As the former home to one of Calgary’s most popular entertainment strips (First Street SW), and the current home to a growing number of entertainment venues, the BRZ has been, along with the Centre City Implementation Team, Calgary Police, and Community and Protective Services, engaging in research into nighttime economies. 

It is the position of the BRZ that entertainment venues are an integral part of creating and maintaining a healthy and vibrant community.  Proper planning, management, and enforcement are the key to maintaining the vitality and economic benefit that entertainment venues bring to an area. As the area increases its residential population, and as the number of entertainment venues increases, this will become an increasing issue of importance to the BRZ

Marketing

Victoria Park has truly transformed into one of Calgary’s most vibrant and thriving urban neighbourhoods complete with a fascinating history, innovative mixed-use developments and a great blend of amenities and services.

Marketing initiatives undertaken by the BRZ office seek to capitalize on these assets.