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October 24, 2007
*'We want to reclaim our streets'*
*West-end residents to keep neighbourhood under surveillance after
police raid the local 'Pink Palace' and 'Crack Shack'*
*By GLENN KAUTH, SUN MEDIA*
West-end residents are vowing to keep up the watch on crime in their
neighbourhood after police arrested 14 people in raids on two well-known
drug houses earlier this month.
"We want to reclaim our area. We want to reclaim our streets. We want to
reclaim our parks," said Diane Kereluk, the executive director of the
Stony Plain Road Business Revitalization Zone.
Neighbours say the streets surrounding Stony Plain Road have been
noticeably safer since police took out warrants to search the homes at
10047 and 10049 154 St. on Oct. 2, resulting in the seizure of 326 grams
of crack cocaine and more than $4,000 in cash.
The raids were the conclusion of an undercover investigation that began
this summer.
In total, police laid 41 charges, most of them for drug trafficking.
Besides the 15 people arrested, eight others who have been charged
remain at large.
The summer operation involved undercover officers buying drugs at places
like the parking lot of the nearby J.P. Ranch Saloon, a favoured hangout
for the area's traffickers, police say.
Through that intelligence, police then got warrants to raid the homes,
known by their nicknames, the Pink Palace and the Crack Shack.
While cops have shut down drug houses in the area before, Const. Wayde
Peachman, an officer with the Stony Plain Road beat office, said he
hopes the latest raids will have a long-term effect on the area since
community groups have gotten more involved in reporting incidents to
police.
They include local businesses as well as volunteers with the Canora
neighourhood watch and community league.
"It's been quieter, for sure," said the Canora community league's
Eleanor Burke, who on her outings for the neighbourhood watch has seen
nearby parks teeming with drug pushers on bikes.
The two homes police raided were rental houses, and the owner is now
co-operating with police to prevent them from becoming overrun with drug
users again, Peachman said.
Now that they're shut down, however, about 12 people are homeless,
leading the Jasper Place Health and Wellness Centre to try to get them
help to find housing and addictions treatment.
"We don't want to become like 118 Avenue, where they're having to play
catch-up now," said Murray Soroka, the centre's executive director.
While Peachman admitted drug activity may pop up again, Kereluk said
businesses hope to prevent its return by upgrading the Stony Plain Road
strip.
Plans include a project to spruce up the section between 149 and 156
streets to make it a place people "can feel they can walk to, they can
stroll down, they can have a coffee," Kereluk said.
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