Olympic surveillance cameras cause unease

A civil rights group is expressing concern as Vancouver begins to install dozens of closed-circuit video cameras to monitor activity in parts of the downtown core during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The B.C. Civil Liberties Association believes several of the cameras are being permanently installed, a suggestion the city denies.

The city said in a release Monday the cameras will be deactivated and no further monitoring will take place after March 28.

The Granville entertainment strip between Robson and Drake streets routinely requires extra police presence on weekend nights to deal with fights, assaults and rowdy behaviour, especially as patrons spill out of bars after 3 a.m.

Signs will warn of cameras

Vancouver's police department has pushed to have closed-circuit cameras put on the strip permanently, and a spokeswoman with the B.C. Civil Liberties Association believes police will now get their wish.

"The city has established a permanent control centre for these temporary cameras," Vonn told CBC News on Monday.

"There's been a massive shell game going on relative to the cameras. The Olympics are a smokescreen for bringing these cameras in and we've got a fight on our hands."

Crews will install about 100 cameras over the next two months in the following areas:

• Granville Street Drake to Cordova.
• Robson Street Bute to Beatty.
• Hamilton/Mainland Georgia to Drake.
• LiveCity Yaletown.
• LiveCity Downtown.

The city said locations selected for monitoring are high-traffic zones with large numbers of pedestrians and visitors expected throughout the Games period in February.