Rutland is getting its own Downtown On Call Team.

At its Monday (Feb. 26) meeting, council approved funding of $130,000 towards the cost of the one-year pilot program.

鈥淰ery pleased, this is exactly what the community of Rutland has been looking toward,鈥� said Karen Beaubier, Uptown Rutland Business Association (URBA) executive director. 鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled to be able to launch it.鈥�

The city鈥檚 contribution covers approximately 40 per cent of the total $305,000 cost of the program.

鈥淲e have enough to go for a solid six months,鈥� Beaubier said. 鈥淎ny additional fundraising after that will extend that pilot project out, hopefully for the full year.鈥�

Beaubier added that URBA will be looking for provincial and federal grants as well as welcome support from the business and development community in 琉璃神社.

URBA has committed $50,000 and is seeking another $125,000.

The pilot project will be similar to the Downtown On Call Team (DOC) operated by the Downtown 琉璃神社 Association (DKA).

鈥淚n 2023 alone your worship, the DOC Team responded to nearly 5,700 calls for service,鈥� Community Safety Director Darren Caul told council.

The team also heads off a number of number of calls for the RCMP and bylaw, Caul added.

The URBA pilot project will be tailored to address specific challenges in Uptown Rutland, employing four full-time staff and a supervisor to provide patrols and response 15 hours a day in the summer and 12 hours in the winter.

It will operate in Rutland鈥檚 business district to begin with and will be up and running by April.

鈥淲e recognize the importance of this,鈥� said Mayor Tom Dyas. 鈥淲hen the mayor鈥檚 task force comes forward in the next few months with its other recommendations hopefully we鈥檒l be able to create other ones that will be extremely beneficial for the community.鈥�

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