Mayor Tom Dyas and Team Kicking Off the URBA On Call Team

Image Credit: URBA

The Uptown Rutland Business Association (URBA) is always looking for new ways to improve safety and cleanliness in its community. That's why it noticed the made-in-house front-line solution that the Downtown Kelowna (Business) Association (DKA) was using — and quickly established a Rutland version.

URBA represents a couple of  hundred business members in the heart of Rutland, and those members have been asking for more help combating issues such as petty crime and littering. Policing services and bylaw enforcement are the typical resources for these, but those resources are stretched too thin. According to Karen Beaubier, Executive Director for URBA, it was time for a community-based solution.

Mayor Tom Dyas and Karen Beaubien URBA Exec Director

Image Credit: URBA

"One of the major challenges we faced was to divert RCMP and Bylaw calls, allowing the policing professionals some reprieve from minor issues that could potentially be relieved on a grass-roots level," Karen says. While the problems might have been minor, they also created a big hassle for URBA business members. "We looked at what the DKA was doing with their highly successful downtown ‘On Call Team’ that started 15 years ago” continued Karen. “It was clear that this was the direction our members were asking us to move towards as well."

Building a Business Support Team: URBA On-Call

Taking a page from Kelowna's Downtown Business Association, Rutland went to the drawing board. "We could not have done this without the support of the DKA team," Karen tells us. The groundwork was all laid out for URBA, and so with the business community rallying behind them, Rutland soon had an On Call Team of their own.

The URBA On Call Team has only been up and running for barely two months, but already, the feedback has been tremendous. That feedback has been a unified message: Seeing the URBA On Call Team out on the streets has generated a collective sigh of relief for business members. "Just like the DKA team, our URBA On Call Team has front-line training. They are ready and willing to step in and help with safety concerns. This area has had serious challenges up to now," Karen notes.

What is An On Call Team?

The Rutland/URBA On Call Team is all about supporting its business members. Its mandate includes on-site assistance to URBA businesses in dealing with aggressive panhandlers and loiterers, safe walk escorts within the district, and helping its business members find solutions for problems like the littering of drug paraphernalia.

How it Works

The team is activated in direct response to the business member requests: URBA members simply call in for the team's service, hence the name. While they cannot respond to general public requests, the spillover effect directly assists the entire local community.

The URBA On-Call team also forges connections with marginalized community members, liaising between businesses and community members facing challenges such as homelessness or addiction. When URBA business members need help dealing with people sleeping in doorways, for example, the On-Call Team is there for them.

What Does An On Call Team Do?

In short, an on-call team assists local businesses with non-policing matters. Uptown Rutland's On-Call Team is crucial in enhancing the overall quality of life in the area they serve. The team helps the community by ensuring safety and cleanliness. One of the many by-products is a positive effect on economic growth.

While the URBA On-Call team is not a community policing force, they have already had positive influences in that area. "What is important to note is that this is not only helping our business members tackle local concerns, but the new team has also played an important role in assisting the RCMP with key arrests." Having team members on active duty for the URBA business means a visible community presence—and a reporting team that benefits the whole community.

Welcoming the New Team

So, who are the team members? They are a diverse group! There are three team members, and all three come from security backgrounds. From there, the team leader has certification in bylaw law, and there is also a team member with an associate degree focusing on indigenous services. Another significant asset is linguistics: the team has multiple language abilities to draw from, including Punjabi and Hindi.

URBA On Call Redshirts with URBA President Navjit Khun

Image Credit: URBA

A Familiar Look, But Not by Accident

Rutland community members can be forgiven for thinking that the URBA On Call Team looks an awful lot like Kelowna's team - and that similarity is not by accident. The Rutland team is a pilot project at present, but there is great potential for this model to expand throughout the region. Having the URBA team wearing the same colours (affectionately known as the ‘Redshirts’) brought uniformity to the teams, something that would be a big asset to the future growth that is anticipated.

Having Uniformity is a Nod to Future Programs

The potential to expand the program is exciting, and it is not just limited to areas of Rutland and Kelowna. The On Call Team is filling a critical void, in an area that impacts all regions. Keeping a familiar look made sense, even though it took a little convincing for Karen to embrace the red outfits in her URBA Executive Director role. "I wanted our team to wear Uptown Rutland Business Association colours," She laughs. Ultimately, however, it was easy for the Downtown Kelowna Association (and Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas) to convince Karen otherwise.

This vital service has long-reaching benefits that expand beyond the URBA network. The tremendous benefit does come with a cost, of course, and that is something Karen continues to work on. Now that the team is up and running, the hope is that even more local businesses will step up to the financial plate to help. "Funding of this program goes directly back into the community, and so we are seeking community support first and foremost," Karen says.

How Your Business Can Help

If your business can help fund this significant project, contact Karen. You can call her directly at the URBA, at 250-451-9861 or learn more about the On Call Team through their Facebook page.

Don't hesitate to say hello when you see the 'Redshirts' out and about this summer. While they are mandated to the members of the URBA, they are also an active community support team that loves to hear back from the community they support—and they are a wealth of community information!

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