Needle pick-up in City parks to continue after Nanaimo Council approves funding
NANAIMO — City Council is committing nearly $70,000 to allow needle clean-up to continue in City parks and to improve security around an elementary school.
On Monday night, Council approved $45,000 for a full-time and part-time seasonal worker to do downtown needle sweeps, clean graffiti, pick up trash and empty needle drop boxes from April 1 through the end of October. Council also green-lighted $24,000 to forge a cost-sharing deal with School District 68 to support an overnight security guard position currently stationed at Ecole Pauline Haarer Elementary. That guard would also watch over Comox Park nightly through the end of 2018.
Alison Evans, the mother of two Pauline Haarer students, appeared before Council Monday night to highlight the need to invest in helping to clean up the area and make it safe. The appearance was one of many for Evans, who first brought the issue to the forefront in January.
“There are aggressive people on this property and garbage,” Evans said. “I can tell you countless stories of little kids who have seen things that are inappropriate.”