The Northwood Estates Neighbourhood Watch Committee is hoping the City of Red Deer will consider lengthening the time in the curfew bylaw.
At the moment, young people under 16 years of age can’t be out of the house on their own between 1 and 6 a.m. in Red Deer. Northwood Estates Neighbourhood Watch Committee would like to see that move to between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The committee started last year after two families felt so terrorized by a roving youth gang that they felt like they had to move from Northwood Estates. The families had a light shot out by a BB gun and bottles thrown at their windows in the Red Deer mobile home park. Neighbours came together to form the Neighbourhood Watch Committee and improve the neighbourhood shortly thereafter.
Danielle Brown, who is one of the co-chairs of the committee, said neighbours have come together and have seen an improvement, but they’d still like to see more done. She said much of the vandalism that takes place happens late at night. She said the change in the bylaw would allow Red Deer City RCMP to approach young people if they were out past the curfew to see what they were doing.
The Northwood Estates Neighbourhood Watch Committee started a petition asking for the change to the curfew bylaw in December and it has been circulating at various events. People can get more information on the committee’s website at www.nwatch.ca or sign a copy of the petition at the Burnt Lake General Store on Hwy 11 or at the Northwood Estates office. The committee members haven’t yet set a time for when they will bring the petition to city council.
Brown said the community has had positive feedback from the City of Red Deer and RCMP.
“We’re trying to take our area back and take pride in it,” Brown said. “Summer will be the test.”
sobrien@www.reddeeradvocate.com