Birchwood Manor
33382 George Ferguson Way

In May of 2010 Birchwood Manor was purchased by Lexus Properties who in turn signed up with Bay West Management Company. It was shortly after that Debora Thomson arrived as the new residential manager and began the task of making Birchwood Manor a safe and fun place to live.

In June 2010, Debora began working with Cst Pat Patterson and the Crime Free Multi Housing Program. When Cst Patterson spoke with Debora she explained that she had been told by some tenants that the buildings and standard of living had taken a turn for the worse in recent years. There was almost no respect between the tenants and that the grounds were poorly maintained. There was open drug dealing going on both within the building and on the property. Those with young families and children felt that the area was unsafe.

Birchwood Manor was known to Abbotsford Police. Over the previous five years there had been over 25 calls to the apartments that the police had to respond. In the past twelve months there had been over 10 calls alone. In June 2010, Cst Patterson and Debora began the process of making Birchwood Manor a Crime Free Multi Housing Building. Debora attended the phase one training with Cst Patterson in Chilliwack, and began to work with recommendations to improve the building and screening process that the Crime Free Multi Housing Program insists on.

There were one or two hurdles that were placed before Debora, There were existing tenants that needed to be spoken with, ground maintenance issues that need to be addressed and rent arrears to be collected. Due to her positive working relationship with Lexus Properties, Bay West Management, and the Crime Free Multi Housing Program run by Abbotsford Police Dept, Birchwood Manor have now become the City of Abbotsford's 35 th “Fully Certified” Crime Free Building.. More importantly there have been no calls to the building by police since being involved with the Crime Free Multi Housing Program. When Birchwood Manor became ‘Fully certified” in October 2010 it was a pleasure to hear from the tenants that Debora had made such a difference to their quality of life. Debora answered this tenant simply by saying

“I am proud to say, my home is also Birchwood Manor”.

CFMH Safety Meeting - A fun way to Safety

In July New Westminster Police Department Crime Free Multi Housing (CFMH) Coordinators, Shelley Cole and Bruce Ballingall were invited by Ulryke Weissgerber of Metro Vancouver Housing Corp (MVHC) to conduct a CFMH Safety Meeting for McBride Place Complex. Metro Vancouver
Housing provided barbequed hot dogs, refreshments and prizes to residents attending the meeting in order to raise the fun quotient for everyone while learning about crime prevention. NWPD presented safety and crime prevention information augmenting the fun atmosphere. Th e crowd joined in laughter as the megaphone chirped out a local soccer song and added to
the entertainment. A catalyst for this successful event was the grant funding received through New Westminster’s Community Policing Committee in partnership with Metro Vancouver Housing and the City of New Westminster. Proof of this successful meeting is the 139 individuals who came
and supported safety in their community. Great partnerships equal great events. Congratulations Metro Vancouver Housing and McBride Place.