What does DTK need?

[panamaniac]

A big problem is the atmosphere downtown. People don't want to walk around or run a business when the streets are full of people that make you want to avoid it all together. It's not a situation unique to Waterloo Region or Kitchener. Unfortunately it's largely the result of a hands off policy regarding petty crime, open air drug use and sales and spaces occupied by homeless people. We haven't managed to develop a suitable method to deal with that, so that hands off policy results in these issues. Our policy makers forgot to think about that part.

Of course this is a very unpopular opinion to have and social justice people will bury their heads in the sand about it, but most people know this is a major issue. People will obviously try to say no this isn't the reason and blame it on economics, real estate, automobiles, lack of things to do (besides eating out...that is not enough to keep a downtown alive) etc and yes they play a role, but visit any region of this continent with at least 500'000 people and you'll see these issues there as well.

To the extent that's the problem, the solution is to get used to it, istm.  They ain't going anywhere soon.