NORTH BATTLEFORD — Some say that North Battleford’s reputation as the most dangerous place in Canada isn't accurate. That's in part, the News-Optimist has heard over the last eight months, due to Macleans, CBC and other media companies not looking at the positive present in the community. The Crime Severity Index (CSI) not providing enough context to the public is also referenced along with unwarranted fear about social issues like homelessness, drug addiction, and the often-discussed gang violence that all seem notoriously hard to solve.
But some also feel that crime really is an issue and needs to be resolved rather than worrying about North Battleford's all-to-present stigma. If the stigma persists, some argue, it's because the issues are not being resolved.
Either way, at the time of writing this article, the Battlefords are welcoming spring.
The Dekker Centre will soon welcome the 87th provincial TheatreFest hosted by the local theatre group and minor baseball season ramps up. Finlayson Island is likely weeks away from bloom while the Saskatchewan Country Music Association has nominated several local names for their annual country music awards. Days after Easter, the Western Development Museum celebrated its 75th birthday in North Battleford with 75¢ admission and cupcakes.
Life treks onward, it seems.
The Business Improvement District's (BID) executive director, Kori Humenny, has been with the organization since November 2022 and only agreed to a News-Optimist interview in the latter part of 2023 if it was intended to paint North Battleford positively.
"Yes, obviously, every town, every city has their issues, and I'm not going to pretend like we don't, but is it any worse? I don't know ... I get that the CSI has gone up. I don't even read that stuff. Because to me ... what you see is what you start to believe, and I'm not a big fan of negative news," Humenny said.
Downtown Revitalization
Humenny's biggest focus recently has been bringing the downtown — which has been the focus of many revitalization bids throughout the years and is frequently the centre of discussions around crime —back as a welcoming place. Even then, if what the City of North Battleford's 2018 baseline survey suggests, Hummeny has a lot of work ahead of her as she has to deal with some of the community's own perception's first.
“I never feel safe downtown. I get approached by people for money, there are always people watching you going into the banks. People are drunk or high,” an anonymous respondent — one of roughly 600 — wrote as to why they felt downtown was the most unsafe part of the Battlefords.
Another responded noted they won’t drive down there at night. Some say they won't shop downtown and even switched banks to avoid the Royal Bank of Canada on corner of 11th Ave. and 101 St.
But the survey respondents also noted they feel safer in other residential areas, more-often in the residential property area they live in. One respondent noted that there are more people watching the neighbourhood. Another noted that there is less poverty .
"I hate that people refer to [North Battleford] as 'Crimetown.' Like, let's not be proud that this is what ... we're not,” she said.
Regardless of what some in the community might feel, her vision of North Battleford in 10 years is a little different from the concerns noted today. The streets downtown are packed with people shopping at thriving local businesses. There are farmers' markets, music is playing, people are stopping to chat while running errands and bumping into friends and family while meeting people for coffee or lunch in a clean and vibrant downtown.
Whether it's getting coffee at Cafe 4 U, a pastry at the Danish Home Bakery listed in the award-winning cookbook, Only in Saskatchewan, visiting a long-standing home-owned Chinese restaurant like Moon's Kitchen, or ordering Butter Chicken at Dejma's Curry House, considered by some to be the best kept secret in town, Humenny is tired of hearing the negatives about her hometown.
“And for the most part, most people's day-to-day isn't revolved around crime," Humenny said, going on to joke half-heartedly about concerns that her comments could be spun to paint a darker picture of the community.
Humenny added that although she doesn't want to sweep it under the rug or pretend crime isn't an issue, by focusing on the negative, she feels it can't possibly attract better for North Battleford.
"I'm not naive to the fact that there are issues. But are people harassing me? No. I just don't think it's a big deal. If you're not a part of it, you're not a part of it. Just ignore it."
Originally published in the Battlefords Regional News-Optimist April 4.
