‘Ugly side of convenience’: Neighbours near Edmonton LRT station weigh benefits

Transit officials say crime in the stations and surrounding areas makes it hard to attract riders back to transit.

This is Part 2 in a three-part series on LRT transit safety. Global Edmonton will be exploring this topic on Global News Hour at 6 on April 27-29. Part 1 focuses on the rider experience. Part 2 explores how the LRT impacts nearby neighbourhoods and general community safety. Part 3 will feature city council and Edmonton police as both groups explore solutions.

When Ashley Whidden found a south Edmonton home close to a transit centre, she was thrilled by her family’s luck.

But seven years later, she said she’s discovered the ugly side of the convenience that comes with living near an LRT station.

“We are really having conversations about whether or not we need to move to a new community,” said Whidden, who lives in Malmo Plains.

Whidden said she has had seemingly intoxicated strangers walk through the backyard while she plays with her children. Once, her kids watched an arrest happen just behind the gate.

The community Facebook group is peppered with news of thefts, break-ins and suspected arson.

“The neighbourhoods that are supposed to benefit the most from the transit system are the ones that are feeling those negative consequences,” she said.

Edmonton Police Service is tracking community crime and in March it released a digital map.