Anti-Human installation? More like welcome change at Kensington Safeway.

[Otto-matic]

https://globalnews.ca/news/3761816/c...edium=Facebook

ᴅᴀʟᴇ ᴄᴀʟᴋɪɴs @DaleCalkins
So disappointed in @SafewayCanada for how hostile they made the plaza in @kensingtonYYC. Ugly anti-people features aren't CPTED. #yycplan

This has been making its round on social media today, The Kensington Safeway has installed barriers along the concrete ledge infront of the store. Some are calling it Anti-Human, I personally 100% fully support Safeway in this decision. Living down in Sunnyside, this has always been a hub for shady characters. Either its panhandling, aggressive drunks, ect. It effects the store and the surrounding area.

It's not an overnight install this has been building up over the past couple years. Look at the bathroom, the thing looks like a drunk tank - not a grocery store washroom. I'd rather use the space toilet on 17th Ave over the one in Sunnyside.

We’ve had a growing number of customer complaints over the years [that] as they enter the store they’re being solicited,” Sobeys West spokesperson Keri Scobie told Global News.

“We’ve tried a number of preventative measures but none of them have worked.”

The BRZ is onboard with the decision as well.

“I think it’s important for businesses to recognize what’s impacting their clients and their customers and we support that initiative,” spokesperson Ellen Parker said.

“People have commented to me and complained to me that they felt unsafe at certain hours of the day, just because of that population it attracts,” she said.

“As a business, it’s in their best interest to create a space that’s safe for their business.”

[CaptainCrunch]

whoops wrong thread.

[photon]

Maybe if they hadn't picked something so ugly... just looking at them is anti-human.

[AC]

Originally Posted by photon

Maybe if they hadn't picked something so ugly... just looking at them is anti-human.

Those aren't the ones discussed in the article, these are:

[Northendzone]

Wow, is,Safeway a bad company.....roll eyes

The news report on glabal noted that one woman complained as she frequently juggled her two kids and grocery bags by using these hints where the blocks were set. I fail to see her issue given there are a load of benches right there.

[topfiverecords]

Rubber is more comfortable to sit on than concrete anyway.

[Mass_nerder]

It's ugly, but defensible space design is everywhere in the city, just less obvious. This is a big issue in urban design.

[GGG]

They should have made them look cool.

Incorporating anti human features like river walk did makes it far more inviting.

[troutman]

Someone overdosed in the bathroom at the West Hillhurst arena today.

[Hack&Lube]

I don't see how bolting on some obviously repurposed parking lot bumpers onto the concrete ledges are going to stop people from panhadling. It just makes it hard to sleep on top of them but you can still hang out or sit on the benches.

[Mass_nerder]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I don't see how bolting on some obviously repurposed parking lot bumpers onto the concrete ledges are going to stop people from panhadling. It just makes it hard to sleep on top of them but you can still hang out or sit on the benches.

Good point. Pull out the benches as well!

[photon]

Originally Posted by AC

Those aren't the ones discussed in the article, these are:

Sorry I meant that the ones I posted were much nicer looking rather than big warning striped rubber blocks.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Why not just remove the planters? Spend a bit of money to do this properly instead of this ghetto hack?

I fully support this too - running the gauntlet of panhandlers (that includes the 'Because I am a Girl" people too) to get groceries at that location is not worth it.

How bad is the parkade I wonder?

[Sr. Mints]

This Safeway certainly has a problem and I can see what they're trying to accomplish, but there has to be a better way to address this.

[Muta]

I worked there when it opened in '99, and I thought the panhandlers and drunks were hilarious.

They still are.

[calgaryblood]

It would be totally awesome if the homeless got creative and stacked these together side by side and made a nice rubber bed.

[Bigtime]

Now we visit this location during daylight hours for the most part, and we've had no issues with the folks hanging out there. My kids are upset that they can't walk along those planters now.

[worth]

The problem I have with this is that it doesn’t do anything to help solve the problem. It just pushes people to find other areas to congregate, where more anti-human structures will be built. If Safeway/Sobeys wants to help instead of making it someone else’s problem, maybe they could partner with the city to fundraise for social programs, substance abuse programs, low income housing etc.

The people that these structures are meant to remove are some of the most vulnerable in our city. Pushing them to some other area by creating these installations will only separate them further when we need to be doing our best to support them.

Additionally, these structures take away from the sense of community we are trying to build. I think a lot of us have romantic ideas of European squares where locals hang out. That's part of what makes a city interesting and beautiful. Anti-human installations are hostile to that idea.

[Weitz]

Its about time IMO.

I am sick of getting harassed by people when I go to get groceries (multiple times a week). Not to mention people hanging out there is just an eyesore and the whole area is sort of disgusting.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

I'm not familiar with the area or its issues, however one question I do have in trying to understand this is, why are they putting up the barriers on the concrete half wall to prevent loitering when there's benches in front of the barrier?

Are the "undesirables" not smart enough to figure out a bench?