A neighbourhood in Orillia that has been rocked by crime and, recently, a suspicious death is frustrated after hitting a hurdle in its attempts to make the area safer.
Residents in the area of Cedar Island Road and Davey Drive say they have been dealing with property crime and drug activity for years, but note it has become a more frequent problem in the past six months or so.
Tracey Reid, 45, was found injured July 19 outside the Silver Swan Villa on Davey Drive. She was pronounced dead at Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital, and police have deemed the Orillia woman’s death to be “suspicious.”
“One of the first things I thought was we need cameras,” said Stewart Lehmann, who lives nearby.
He was willing to pay for the high-tech cameras out of his own pocket, but he needed a place to put them. He figured hydro poles would be the best option, as they would offer a “clean, clear” view and would “not be as susceptible to vandalism,” given their height.
So, he contacted Orillia Power and sought its permission, but the utility wouldn’t allow it.
“It’s almost a lack of care from a human standpoint,” Lehmann said. “No solution, no help to their own customers.”
If cameras had been in place during the July 19 incident, “it could have been a deterrent or could have caught it on camera,” he said.
Orillia Power president and CEO Grant Hipgrave defended his organization’s stance.
“Private, third-party equipment is not permitted to be attached to Orillia Power poles as this could create potential safety risks for the public and our workers as well as potentially causing damage to Orillia Power equipment,” he said.
Hipgrave said officials at Orillia Power “share the concerns of other community members and are hopeful that the ongoing police investigation into this matter is resolved quickly.”
Orillia OPP has not released any additional information about the death.
Meanwhile, residents are “fearful, frustrated,” Lehmann said.
“I feel that police are doing the best they can, but the neighbourhood is very upset that they don’t know what’s going on,” he said.
As police continue to investigate, they are asking anyone with information about the death to contact them at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
