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LETTER: There's work to be done downtown

'Is this the Royal City that reflects the values of its' citizens?' Cizova asks
LettersToTheEditor
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GuelphToday received the following letter from local reader Veronika Cizova regarding the state of Downtown Guelph:

City of Guelph transportation hub near the train station was one of the good acts of the previous City Council. Moving the city buses transfer location would add to the appeal of the Square. Guelph is one of the very few cities with the sizable open city centre.

Unfortunately that and the streets leading to it do not do it justice.

The downtown area has deteriorated so, that ordinary citizen avoids it whenever he or she can.

I had to do a few errands there recently. Stepping out on Quebec Street and walking to my first destination the Scotiabank, I have found the street and the Square littered with excessive amount of cigarette buds, used cups, pair of boots, paper, etc. It looked all these were there since last fall, before the snow fall. There were a couple of people with some mental issues shouting at others using obscene language across the Square, when I was crossing the Square at the lights.

I was still surprised to find a security guard in the Scotiabank. That affirmed the local state of affairs. Unfortunately our Scotiabank home branch at the west end was closed for business and we now have to do it downtown.

As I continued to the upper Wyndham, then down south and right to Macdonell Street, I couldn't help but feel unsafe. Boarded up shop windows, all the dirt, too many big garbage containers.

Is this the Royal City that reflects the values of its' citizens? Is this the invitation to visit? Would the increased presence of police officers downtown help at all?

-Veronika Cizova