One month after Saddle Ridge residents and business owners called for help over social disorder at Savanna Bazaar shopping plaza, things appear to be improving for the northeast Calgary community.
Residents gathered for another community safety forum at the outdoor mall on Thursday, where Coun. Raj Dhaliwal and a representative from the Calgary Police Service said work is ongoing to address vehicle stunting, speeding, fireworks and harassment at the plaza.
Speed bumps and barricades were installed in the parking lot of the mall in an attempt to dissuade bad behaviour, and the Ward 5 councillor said it appears to be working.
“What we are hearing from residents is that some of that disorder has gone down. Less speeding they’re hearing, they’re feeling more safe, less stunting, donuting,” Dhaliwal said.
Although the problem hasn’t gone away completely, Dhaliwal said there is a noticeable improvement in the area.
“Change is going to happen overnight? No. But we are seeing baby steps and a significant difference in what people are telling us.”
Asked about bad behaviour at the outdoor mall escalating during Diwali as it did last year, Dhaliwal said hopefully not.
“That’s why … we started working with our friends at the CPS, bylaw officers, Calgary Fire Department, local residents, [so] that there is no repeat of such activities this time around,” he said.
The Ward 5 councillor previously said he’s received complaints about behaviour at the mall since he was elected in 2021, but it got worse during Diwali in 2023, which was in November that year. This year, Diwali begins on the morning of Oct. 31 and runs for about 26 hours.
“Everything came to the forefront and was highlighted last year around the same time when there was a Diwali event here, and then there was I believe a Halloween event that really highlighted this … not so good behaviour,” Dhaliwal said.
Ahmed Shahein, community resource officer sergeant for the area, said he has also received positive feedback from people in the neighbourhood.
“People have commented on a significant drop in the social disorder issues, and some of the owners of some of these stores have also commented on how successful it has been so far,” Shahein said.
He added the progress that they’ve made in making the area safer indicates that what they are doing is working.
“So far, this has all the attributes of a successful operation. We’ve collaborated with the plaza board, we’ve collaborated with the councillor’s office, and everybody working together have come up with all the signage, the barriers, the speed bumps that you see.”
Shahein said police are keeping tabs on other nearby plazas that could be affected as bad actors potentially move there from Savanna Bazaar.
Judd Coulard, one of the business owners who attended the community safety forum, said since police got involved, things have improved in the plaza.
“In the last couple of weeks, I’ve noticed everything quiet down,” Coulard said. “We don’t have vehicles ripping through our parking lot, residents have given me positive feedback, and so we’re very happy with the response.”
While there is still room for improvement, Coulard said he has seen problems in the area greatly reduced in a short amount of time.
But Saddle Ridge resident Mehar Kaur, who moved to the area from the community of Skyview in the past few years, still sees problems.
“It was good two and a half years ago, but now, not so much,” Kaur said of Savanna Bazaar.
“I live very close by, so I would take my dog for a walk and I would just come and pick up some food for takeout or whatever. But I cannot do that anymore because I’m so scared for people, they don’t stop for pedestrians.”
Kaur said the speed bumps and barricades have made a huge difference in how safe she feels going to the outdoor mall, but there is still work that can be done to make it even safer.
She added she’s worried about fireworks and other mischief in the plaza with Diwali approaching.
“I have a small dog who gets scared about this, so I am concerned about it,” Kaur said. “I’m an Indian, I would love to celebrate Diwali, but there should be a safe place to do it … Let’s keep the spirit of Diwali, let’s celebrate it in a very harmonious way.”