Business owners in the ByWard Market say they’re encouraged by the area’s night ambassador program, which has been running since June.
The ByWard Market District Authority released data this week suggesting that the new program is having a positive impact on safety in the area. The program is a partnership between the City of Ottawa’s nightlife office and the BMDA designed to improve safety in the ByWard Market on Friday and Saturday nights from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. The city announced $35,000 in funding for the program in early June.
The interim report, which includes data from the program’s launch on June 27 through to Aug. 23, shows the night ambassadors had 549 interactions with 1,146 people. An interaction is defined as any engagement between an ambassador and a member of the public or occasionally with groups of people.
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The peak periods for interactions were between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. (117 interactions), 11 p.m. and 12 a.m. (106 interactions) and between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. (93 interactions) when many nightlife establishments close.
Of the 549 interactions, 54 per cent happened on York Street, largely due to the location of the night ambassador’s kiosk at the corner of York Street and ByWard Market Square, and 18 per cent on Clarence Street, reflecting the high concentration of bars and restaurants in that area.
Most of the interactions, 86 per cent, were for “general engagement and outreach,” which Victoria Williston, communications manager for the BMDA, defines as “explaining to people who (the night ambassadors) are and what they’re there for, giving out water, charging a cell phone and just having conversations.” Four per cent of interactions were related to aggression and conflict while medical and substance-related incidents and lost and vulnerable individuals each made up three per cent of interactions.
Night ambassador Nathan Kwok told OBJ this week that businesses and members of the public seem encouraged by the program. “I think they felt at ease having a few extra eyes in the Market and just more (of a) presence in general,” Kwok said.
While Kwok said the ambassadors are still learning what the role entails, security guards at several Market businesses have appreciated having an extra hand. “There is an odd disconnect whenever people are outside of a venue. There is a weird jurisdictional gray area, so to have somebody available to take care of those people has been very encouraging (for businesses).”
Williston said that, two weeks ago, businesses were given a direct phone line to the night ambassadors. Since then, Kwok said he received a few calls from businesses over the weekend.
Nasr Nasr, owner of Juice Dudez, which has a location on Clarence Street, said he’s seen an increase in foot traffic over the summer. “We’ve had a great summer and I’m sure (the ambassadors) had a big impact on that. We didn’t see as much trouble as we used to see in the Market. It’s making a difference.”
Nasr added that by making the Market safer, it’s making the area into a more attractive destination. “The less trouble in the Market, the better it is for business. People feel safer and are more likely to come back to the Market,” he said, adding that he has not needed to call the ambassadors’ direct line.
Alex Sirois, managing partner of Ottawa Venues, the company that operates Lowertown Brewery and Sky Lounge on York Street, said the increased presence of both police and the ambassadors has made the area feel safer.
“As a whole, walking around the Market, it just feels a lot safer. There’s people looking out for people. I think it’s really changed the face of the Market. It’s been heading in a better direction since the pandemic,” Sirois said.
With foot traffic levels reaching pre-pandemic levels, Sirois said a change in the makeup of businesses has also impacted the Market’s “vibe” after dark.
“The businesses down there have changed a lot. There are fewer nightclubs than there used to be and there’s more restaurants,” he said. “It’s great to see that the Market is alive again and that there’s so many different pieces coming together to make the Market as great as it always was.”
Mathieu Grondin, Ottawa’s nightlife commissioner, told OBJ last week that he recently walked around the ByWard Market with the night ambassador team as well as with police officers and received positive feedback.
“Young people were happy to see people like them bringing a positive energy to the street … I would also like to see that type of project implemented elsewhere in nightlife hubs around town,” Grondin said.
Looking toward the second half of the program, which runs until the beginning of November, Williston said she expects to see a different demographic as post-secondary students return to Ottawa.
“They may not have had visibility on the program so it’s kind of starting back at square one, where it will be more of that trust-building and awareness for the program … We think we’re going to see a lot more interactions, especially with the students now back (in Ottawa),” she said.
Kwok said he’s expecting a busy shift around “some of the marquee holidays,” such as the Thanksgiving long weekend and Halloween.
“Halloween has historically been a very busy time of year for the ByWard Market. I think that we are going to be very much busy for the entirety of our shift … September through October, we’re going to be seeing a lot of young, new visitors,” he said.
Kwok added that as the program continues, it can be fine-tuned. “This program definitely has a lot of room to grow and expand. Even though we do exist currently in an outreach role, I think there is a lot of room to explore how the night ambassador program can be a promotional tool for businesses.”
Williston said that business owners, staff, security guards and members of the public will be surveyed at the end of the pilot program to see how it performed.
