Isleifson sets downtown as a priority

Revitalizing Brandon’s downtown needs to be a priority for the city, mayoral candidate Len Isleifson said at a campaign event on Thursday.

Isleifson, who has served as a councillor and as the MLA for Brandon East, said while the city is doing some work downtown, it isn’t enough and staff need to be more transparent about it.

“One of our priorities needs to be downtown Brandon,” he told about 15 seniors at Hobbs Manor.

“I think it’s time to physically do something downtown.”

That includes attracting more business, building new homes and hosting more events in the city’s core, he said.

Isleifson — who faces incumbent mayor Jeff Fawcett in the race for the city’s top job — said bringing people downtown and giving them opportunities to do things is critical to making the area safe.

“We’ve got to get rid of the crime,” he said.

While police can’t arrest their way out of a problem, officers should be able to arrest drug dealers and detain people who are openly using substances, he said.

“You see people who are actually effectively using drugs downtown — the police should be able to apprehend them,” Isleifson told the Sun after the 45-minute event.

“You can’t walk around drunk. You cannot be intoxicated in public. So if you’re intoxicated on drugs, it’s illegal. So we need to be a little bit tougher on that,” he said.

“Then again, when we get those people off the street, we can provide them the help that they need to get rid of that addiction piece, but it’s the criminal aspect that we’ve got to really look at.”

Isleifson said the crime downtown is related to drugs, and eliminating that risk is important.

“There are groups out there that are working their butts off trying to help those that are homeless, trying to help those with addictions and mental health issues. But we need to do our part, which is to make those streets safer,” he said.

He added that the city also can’t put all of its resources downtown, as there is crime in other parts of Brandon as well.

Constructing dual-use buildings, with both apartments and businesses in one complex, is also something he would like to see.

“I think if we can do more of that, it brings more of a vibrant life downtown, which takes away the opportunity for crime and things like that,” Isleifson said.

He told the crowd that keeping people in the city is also a priority. He told a story about how his son left Brandon because “there was nothing here for him,” adding he disagrees that that is the case.

“This needs to be a community where we can thrive, where our kids can get educated, grow up, feel safe and it’s a great place to retire. In between, we just need to invite more businesses into town to set up shop,” he said, noting that would also increase the tax base.

The city, he said, needs to market itself better to entice businesses to stay or set up shop.

Ahead of the Oct. 28 election, Isleifson said he will continue to campaign by knocking on doors, answering questions and hearing people’s ideas.

“I look at it (like) it’s a job application. So, right now Jeff (Fawcett) and I are both going through the interviewing process. And again, it’s a matter of reaching out to the voters, getting their opinions and convincing them that I am doing this for them.”

Isleifson encouraged everyone to get out and vote.

» alambert@brandonsun.com