Community Futures South Kootenay and the Downtown Trail Improvement Committee (DTIC) are excited to announce a new initiative to guide the revitalization of downtown Trail.
The project focusses on how we can prevent crime and create a more vibrant and welcoming business hub.
The DTIC started up two years ago with a goal to bring life back to downtown trail, and with this in mind they have commenced a comprehensive study using Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles.
This approach focuses on modifying the physical environment to deter criminal activity and promote positive behavior.
“What you do is you change the environment to promote positive behavior.” said Ron Perepolkin, Community Economic Development Coordinator at Community Futures South Kootenay.
“The goal is to bring people back downtown. Now people usually don’t want to be seen committing crimes and that’s one of the reasons it works. And if we can do this, we can create a welcoming atmosphere where people want to be.”
By analyzing factors such as natural surveillance, natural access control, territorial reinforcement, maintenance and management, and social cohesion, the DTIC aims to identify strategies for enhancing downtown safety and attractiveness.
“The outcomes of the study will be best practices. Some will be for the City of Trail, some will be for business owners, and some for economic development practitioners like myself.” said Perepolkin.
“When we start to implement the findings, that’s when the real work will start.”
The study is being led by Harry Measure, a renowned urban planner with extensive experience in revitalization projects. Dr. Bryan Kinney, SFU School of Criminology Associate Professor, an expert in crime analysis and prevention, is also contributing to the project. Their combined expertise will provide valuable insights into the unique needs of downtown Trail and help develop effective recommendations for improvement.
The DTIC encourages community members to stay engaged and participate in the process when requested to help shape the future of downtown Trail.
As the study progresses, the DTIC will continue to provide updates on their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/downtowntrailimprovementcommittee
The study will be fully complete by December 2024, and then it is over to the community to act.
“It takes an entire community to do some of the implementation steps.” said Perepolkin.
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