- by Owen Sound Hub staff

The Neighbours Against Drugs and Crime Action Group was pleased to see city staff in action in their community today, ahead of Monday's deputation to City Council.

Before 9 o'clock this morning, by-law officers were walking around a property with boarded up windows on 3rd Ave A. East. and trash was removed around the former jail property.

Some vacant private properties continue to be a concern to the neighbourhood, not only for aesthetic reasons.

A shed at the former Stan Brown Printers in the historic Registry Office on 4th Ave. E. shows evidence of entry through the roof. The former Strathcona School, built in 1936, closed in 2008 and later sold by the Bluewater District School Board has been boarded up for years. Both buildings are owned by Barry Kruisselbrink of Barry's Construction.

Both the Owen Sound police and firefighters were using the Strathcona building for training purposes, but neither service has been in the old school for several years. The Fire Service has moved up to new facilities at Georgian College, and the OSPS have acknowledged that concerns about the state of the Strathcona building – including mold – were among their reasons for discontinuing its use for their purpose. The school's gym sees some use, and according to neighbours who spoke to the Owen Sound Planning Department, there are plans to use the property for residences at some time in the future.

In the meantime, local authorities acknowledge that vacant buildings can bring additional policing challenges as they provide opportunities for squatters and criminal activity, and refuse adds to fire and public safety risk.