Get out of the dark, get on the streets

Jordan Johnston

News Editor

Outside Lonnies — Photo credit: Graeme Gordon

Brantford has lots of nice places to see and visit in its downtown core. But being a stranger in a new community can become quite intimidating, especially if you have never left home before. There are shops, restaurants and lovely parks to experience, but one should not always venture alone. In your time exploring Brantford, it is good to know what your neighbourhood has to offer in order to stay safe.

Staying with a group of friends while it is dark outside is important. Avoiding dark areas and strange people is a common sense factor that some people may tend to overlook when they are looking for the fastest way home.

Laurier Brantford offers a wide variety of “safe places” if you ever get into trouble. These are the most welcoming places for students to visit and include many of the businesses from the downtown area. They ensure that the safety and well being of all their guests from the Laurier community is a priority, and wish to make each experience the best it can be. Some of these safe places are:

Lonnies located at 42 Market Street
Piston Broke located at 93 Dalhousie Street
Strodes Express located at 117 Market Street
Feely’s Hardware located at 150 Market Street

When walking, especially at night there is safety in numbers. Foot Patrol is a highly recommended program for everyone to use. They are a free student run organization located in the Student Center that are more than willing to walk or drive you to your destination from campus to home, and vice versa. Foot Patrol is operated under the Students’ Union and are available seven days a week, regardless of the weather. With Foot Patrol, “no walk is too short.”

Special Constables are one of the most beneficial services for safety within the Laurier Brantford School and community. Special Constables are akin to Laurier Brantford’s own police squad. They assist students with problems on and off campus. Special Constable Services are always promoting street smarts; knowing where you can get help is a good precaution to take. They are located at 45 Market Street and are always open and welcoming to students with questions, concerns and/or suggestions. The Special Constables also have many information brochures for the taking and fridge magnets with important phone numbers.

Trust your instincts, if something seems wrong, don’t hesitate to report it. If you have any suggestions on how Laurier Brantford can make you feel safer, please feel free to let the Laurier Brantford Special Constables and Campus Operations know by e-mailing: lbsecurity@wlu.ca.

Although you may not ever need to use these services, it is nice to know they exist and how to get in contact with them:

Crime Stoppers: 519-752-7867; their goal is to fight crime with the combination of the community and legal assistance.
Foot Patrol: 519-751-7875; ‘no walk is too short.’ Foot Patrol works 7 nights a week to ensure students arrive to their destinations safely.
Special Constable Service: 519-756-8228 ext. 5888; remember to ask for the Brantford location as this number will direct you to Waterloo.
Brantford Police: (9-1-1), for non-emergencies call 519-756-0113.

Becoming familiar with your surroundings is an important step into entering a new place. So get out and enjoy but remember, stay safe.

For a complete list of Laurier Brantford’s safe places and a map with their locations, please visit: http://www.wlu.ca/page.php?grp_id=12006&p=9410