Post by awesomecolin on Aug 21, 2004 1:25:02 GMT -5
I saw this on the front page of one of our local news papers. enjoy:
Gottingen DMZ
By Chris Lambie
Michelle Strum, of the Gottingen Street Merchants Association, says Gottingen is as safe as any other street in metro. She says she often walks along the street at night with her four-month-old son, Holden. A military warning about the safety of the area angers her. (Photo: Mike Dembeck)
The United States navy may be able to brave war zones around the world, but it’s ordering its sailors not to linger on one of Halifax’s main streets after dark.
On the advice of the Canadian navy, the Americans are telling about 300 sailors and civilian crew aboard the USNS Comfort — a 1,000-bed hospital ship now visiting port — not to walk up and down Gottingen Street at night.
“They just took our information and passed it on to the troops,” said Lt.-Cmdr. Denise LaViolette of navy public affairs.
“This is done all the time. Probably for every ship that comes here, that kind of notification is given.”
Common courtesy
It’s common courtesy for navies to warn foreign warships about areas that might not be safe, LaViolette said.
“We have a duty to let people know — visitors — that there are some areas that people probably should stay away from,” she said.
“In the past, there have been some incidents involving both foreign visitors, as well as our own sailors, in that area.”
Three years ago, about six men used a baseball bat to beat and rob two sailors near the entrance to CFB Stadacona. One of the victims had serious head injuries.
“Nobody just out of the blue chose that area,” LaViolette said.
“We don’t want it to look like we’re saying there’s something wrong with the community there.”
In 1999, special agents from the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service strolled the Gottingen Street area posing as American sailors trying to buy drugs.
The undercover operation, conducted with Halifax Regional Police, nabbed seven alleged crack cocaine dealers.
The navy isn’t treating the area fairly with its warning, said Michelle Strum of the Gottingen Street Merchants Association.
“I don’t think it’s right to do that, to be honest,” Strum said. “Are you allowed to discriminate against a street in that way?”
U.S. sailors should check out Gottingen for themselves, she said.
“We’ve got some of the coolest bars in the city here right now,” Strum said.
‘Safe as any other street’
“It’s as safe as any other street in the city.”
Strum owns Halifax Backpackers Hostel on Gottingen.
“We have people check in right until about 2 a.m.,” she said.
“I live one street up and walk down at two in the morning all the time by myself, no problems.”
Downtown Coun. Dawn Sloane said she’s “dismayed” that the navy would tell foreign sailors to avoid Gottingen.
“I don’t think that they should have any worries about Gottingen Street,” Sloane said.
It all comes down to “street smarts,” she said. “If you think that you can walk down any street in any city anywhere in North America in the United States, or even Europe, without any kind of contact with something that could be a bad element, then you’re living in a fantasy world,” Sloane said.
clambie@hfxnews.ca
You see, this is just confusing. Gottingen Street isn't all that bad of a street. I've gone up and down it several times after dark. Hell... My favorite club, The Marquee, is on that street. I've never had any trouble there, and I've never heard any of my friends say they've had trouble. Halifax now has a demilitarized zone. Unbelievable.
Gottingen DMZ
By Chris Lambie
Michelle Strum, of the Gottingen Street Merchants Association, says Gottingen is as safe as any other street in metro. She says she often walks along the street at night with her four-month-old son, Holden. A military warning about the safety of the area angers her. (Photo: Mike Dembeck)
The United States navy may be able to brave war zones around the world, but it’s ordering its sailors not to linger on one of Halifax’s main streets after dark.
On the advice of the Canadian navy, the Americans are telling about 300 sailors and civilian crew aboard the USNS Comfort — a 1,000-bed hospital ship now visiting port — not to walk up and down Gottingen Street at night.
“They just took our information and passed it on to the troops,” said Lt.-Cmdr. Denise LaViolette of navy public affairs.
“This is done all the time. Probably for every ship that comes here, that kind of notification is given.”
Common courtesy
It’s common courtesy for navies to warn foreign warships about areas that might not be safe, LaViolette said.
“We have a duty to let people know — visitors — that there are some areas that people probably should stay away from,” she said.
“In the past, there have been some incidents involving both foreign visitors, as well as our own sailors, in that area.”
Three years ago, about six men used a baseball bat to beat and rob two sailors near the entrance to CFB Stadacona. One of the victims had serious head injuries.
“Nobody just out of the blue chose that area,” LaViolette said.
“We don’t want it to look like we’re saying there’s something wrong with the community there.”
In 1999, special agents from the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service strolled the Gottingen Street area posing as American sailors trying to buy drugs.
The undercover operation, conducted with Halifax Regional Police, nabbed seven alleged crack cocaine dealers.
The navy isn’t treating the area fairly with its warning, said Michelle Strum of the Gottingen Street Merchants Association.
“I don’t think it’s right to do that, to be honest,” Strum said. “Are you allowed to discriminate against a street in that way?”
U.S. sailors should check out Gottingen for themselves, she said.
“We’ve got some of the coolest bars in the city here right now,” Strum said.
‘Safe as any other street’
“It’s as safe as any other street in the city.”
Strum owns Halifax Backpackers Hostel on Gottingen.
“We have people check in right until about 2 a.m.,” she said.
“I live one street up and walk down at two in the morning all the time by myself, no problems.”
Downtown Coun. Dawn Sloane said she’s “dismayed” that the navy would tell foreign sailors to avoid Gottingen.
“I don’t think that they should have any worries about Gottingen Street,” Sloane said.
It all comes down to “street smarts,” she said. “If you think that you can walk down any street in any city anywhere in North America in the United States, or even Europe, without any kind of contact with something that could be a bad element, then you’re living in a fantasy world,” Sloane said.
clambie@hfxnews.ca
You see, this is just confusing. Gottingen Street isn't all that bad of a street. I've gone up and down it several times after dark. Hell... My favorite club, The Marquee, is on that street. I've never had any trouble there, and I've never heard any of my friends say they've had trouble. Halifax now has a demilitarized zone. Unbelievable.
