We recently met with several members of the City officials including the Senior Social Planner and members of the VPD concerning the issue of the sex trade in our community and the negative impact it has had on our safety. We presented the City with both long term and short term options. While it appears that the City has agreed to take some initial short term steps such as increasing lighting, garbage removal and needle pickups, we are told that a number of our other long term suggestions are being considered. Some of these are the need for traffic Calming, the many unlicensed marijuana dispensaries, VPD presence, red light district, larger community town hall meeting. The overall feel of this meeting was that the sex trade is here to stay whether we like it or not; therefore, the discussion of a safe area for the girls to work in was not discussed. We were disappointed, in particular, with the VPD's response. The VPD community policing is non-profit and it is located on Victoria and East 38th Avenue, which is a distance from the focal point of the problems on Kingsway. Unfortunately, we were told that funding is very limited and it does not appear that a community police centre will be created in our neighbourhood, although the existing centre may consider directing some of its foot patrol volunteers into our area. We particularly pushed the fact that the law as it stands right now states that buying sex is illegle. We pushed for stings to catch the illegal activity. We were again told that funding is low and it is low on a priority list. This is unacceptable. We will continue to appeal to the VPD to take a more active role in our safety as it appears that there is apprehension to do so at the present time. They pointed out that education is first before enforcement which is city policy. We pointed out the threats and aggression in the past also noted in impact statements. We also pointed out that the city is not above the law. Their response was to keep calling non emergency. Future meetings will be taking place with the City and the VPD which we will keep you informed of as it occurs. We also recently met with Don Davies, our MP. This was a very positive meeting as Mr. Davies focused in on solutions to our problems with an emphasis on the residents of Cedar Cottage and our safety. He voiced that he will be making an effort to work directly with the City and the VPD in upholding the law which prohibits the buying of sex (focus on the johns) and that he will be looking into rezoning an industrial area where the sex trade will take place. He will also be advocating for ways to make this area less desirable for the sex trade. We are very hopeful that Mr. Davie's participation will be of much help to us. We will also be following up with him again soon.