Dear Editor:

As a Bed and Breakfast, we have occasion to send our guests downtown for dinner almost every night of the year.

No one has EVER had a problem with safety issues. Of course, some have mentioned that they didn’t like seeing people doing drugs, or needles lying around, (which is definitely not OK!), but not one person has said that they have ever felt unsafe or been accosted by anyone.

The downtown restaurants and merchants need our support more than ever now. If you choose to abandon them, then you will have brought forth a self-fulfilling prophecy, and downtown Owen Sound will die completely. Don't walk around downtown late at night alone, in Owen Sound or any other City; but for the sake of our small business who NEED you, DO support the downtown core.

This is a beautiful City with so much potential, but it’s up to YOU to help develop that potential, not destroy it.

Linda and Paul  Neville, The Highland Manor B&B

(photo from River District Facebook page)