Saskatoon’s downtown business district is urging the province and other partners to address safety and security at the Lighthouse by conducting an immediate assessment.

This comes after the downtown area has seen recent “high-profile” crime-related events which include a man wielding a hatchet near the Lighthouse one afternoon a couple of weeks ago and the shooting at a bar on 21st Street last week.

Brent Penner, Executive Director of the Downtown BID says they’re not recommending that the Lighthouse move elsewhere, although since the facility has taken on a number of new services over the years, perhaps some programs could be moved to other parts of the city.

He adds he has heard from health officials in the past who have said that having supported living and shelter services in the same location isn’t a good mix.

The BID is also urging the Saskatoon Police Service to immediately deploy more officers downtown and to develop a comprehensive downtown policing strategy that has community safety as the top priority.

Officials with the City and the province are set to meet Friday afternoon behind closed doors with community safety being one of the topics of discussion.