A Timmins business is speaking out on what it feels in an issue in the downtown core.
Pure Addiction Studio has posted on Facebook that people loitering, harassing others and public intoxication has become a major problem that needs to be addressed. Store owner Billy Harten says since opening the studio in 2011, the amount of people loitering and harassing others has increased significantly and he isn’t the only one who has noticed. “When it starts to affect your clients and they start to complain and you start to see that this could affect business. Looking on a broader scale and seeing maybe businesses that have already been affected by this and how it could possibly be a major mitigating factor as to why businesses have closed or not survived.”
Harten says he has spoken to multiple organizations including the Timmins Police Service and City Hall about the situation.
He says he wants to hear from the public what could help the downtown area. Harten says on his post has gotten a lot of support and suggestions so far, “with regards to adding maybe foot patrols so they are maybe a little more visible, there have been suggestions stating that there should be maybe lights and cameras.” Harten says he wants to bring these ideas the BIA.
He says he also wants to make a donation to an organization that may be able to help like Living Space.
He says for every share his post on Facebook gets, Pure Addiction Studio will donate 10 cents to Living Space. Click here for the full post.
