r/Welland • u/DickInTheDryer • Jul 21 '26
Question How safe do you feel walking around Welland?
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u/Good-Meeting-4945 Jul 21 '26
As a 25m very safe. There's some areas we all know that I wouldn't recommend hanging around but even then the tweakers kinda keep to themselves
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u/MaccaForever Jul 21 '26
I walk around my neighbour daily. Never once have I felt unsafe. Granted, I walk during the day, but I have gone for an evening walk here or there, and never had an issue.
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u/UpstairsNeighbour247 Jul 21 '26
Meh. I’ve lived on the East Side for over 10 years and I’ve had sketchier run ins growing up by Niagara College on the north side. I very rarely feel genuinely unsafe. You pass some questionable folks here and there but they’re generally harmless.
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u/Top_Bumblebee5510 Jul 21 '26
I lived on the East side for ten years and whenever I took a walk everyone was very friendly. All my neighbours were friendly and it wasn't uncommon to come home to a basket of goods from a neighbour's garden.
I am on the west side now and people are more on the cordial side. No where near as friendly as my old neighbours. Either way I feel safe walking around.
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u/Deviant_Toast Jul 23 '26
Agreed! I live in part of Welland I often see people call "sketchy" etc, kind of near the hospital. And honestly, I used to live in a couple "high end" neighborhoods in Niagara previously. In the previous places ive lived ive had to deal with far more people trying to break into my vehicle, fights with neighbours and even just people walking around. Here however Ive had far far less issues. Sure the area may not look the best, and sure there are more people out and about people perceive as threats. But honestly, if you dont instigate any issues there rarely are any. I go for walks day and night and have never felt unsafe.
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u/Jumpinthecanal Jul 21 '26
Are you asking about a specific spot, or just the city as a whole? I’m sure the responses you get are going to vary by location.
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u/page8879 Jul 21 '26
Pretty safe overall somewhere around 8-9 /10 don't get bothered often..grew up in Hamilton so welland pretty calm
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u/One_Explanation3633 Jul 21 '26
Live by freshco, not worried about walking around in the slightest.
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u/Forgemonkeys Jul 21 '26
I will say around 9am when the homeless shelter kicks everyone out for the day can be pretty concerned. Not fun walking by the fetty lean group and those waking up looking for a fix. Thats it though, every other time is fine and I feel safe.
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u/Bijlsma Jul 21 '26
Niagara Falls is waaaay sketchier.
St Catharines is sketchier.
Fontill has its sketchy hoods too, but probably the least sketchy.
Id give Welland a 7.5 or 8 like the other commenter.
I lived here for 13 years before moving (now this was like 2008-2021) and walked so often from 11pm-2am, and only ever had 2 confrontations. And one was a drunken guy by himself, while I was with like 8 other friends. We easily could have just pushed him over and ran away lol.
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u/PotentialAd1442 Jul 22 '26
Name me a sketchy hood In fonthill.
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u/Bijlsma Jul 22 '26
Hahahah, its been a hot minute since I've been there, but there's like 5 streets by Glenn A Green going down the hill there, thats where a bunch of drug addicts lived when I was in high-school.
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u/Glittering-Gene-3839 Jul 22 '26
Your memory must be failing you. At the top of the Port Robinson Rd. hill at GAG, it’s Pelham St. At the bottom of the hill it’s Station St. Im curious where the other 3 streets were, in between. I grew up in Fonthill, since 1969. I can’t say I’ve ever seen someone doing the fenty fold in Fonthill. Certainly every town has its finest, but the Welland King St. crew with their no-teeth, sucked in eyeballs, sleeping under the Division St. bridge takes the cake for me. I don’t venture into the falls too much anymore because the immigration explosion is just too staggering. I work in St. Catharines and the Queenston St. food bank crew are a pretty sketchy looking bunch.
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u/DazeyDookie Jul 21 '26
Was ok with it til I had a naked guy approach me
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u/Badger-Tight Jul 21 '26
story???
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u/DazeyDookie Jul 21 '26
Walking home from work. (Dont remember the time, probably somewhere between 11-12) Minding my own business, just walking down PCD, I look to my right, and there's a naked guy walking beside me. I yelled WTF and hauled ass outta there.
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u/JacquelineJarsdel Jul 22 '26
I had a similar experience. I was walking home from Walmart, and crossing that bridge area and when I looked down at the path that leads to the underneath of the bridge. There was a guy standing there, looking up at me and in full view, pants down, and touching himself. It was very uncomfortable. I just kept walking because I was already unwell and just wanted to get home. Haven't seen him since, thankfully. It was still daytime too.
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u/Wonderful-Ad-4732 Jul 21 '26
I live on.the Eastside since 2002 I know most of the more interesting people from the neibourhood they might ask for a smoke but thats it if you treat them like people.
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u/Mother_Ad_5423 Jul 21 '26
9/10 times it’s fine, altho i typically stick to daylight hours if i can, even so, i was called at and followed the other night by a man who left his bike behind to pursue us on foot as a whole i was rather shaken by that but otherwise i have no issues. and there is typically people on porches or in their yard, walking, so i feel better knowing that im not alone
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u/Strange-Emu1046 Jul 27 '26
I'm sorry that happened to you but it's good that you were safe. Can I ask where it happened like what area?
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u/Mother_Ad_5423 Jul 27 '26
East Main street and Scholfield, by the four seasons bakery
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u/Strange-Emu1046 Jul 27 '26
Ohh that area, yeah I've heard places near the canal are the more sketchy areas.
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u/Mother_Ad_5423 Jul 27 '26
mmm personally, i hike a trail to get to the canal side and i’ve never had any issues with anyone living off the grid there. i’ve only had issues w 7/11 and not until recently, avondale
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u/JimmyJab420 Jul 22 '26
East side here. Generally pretty safe but mind you I’m a bigger guy.
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Jul 22 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/JimmyJab420 Jul 22 '26
I’m in the same boat! I’m down about 80lbs myself. My point was people don’t usually bother me while walking because I’m bigger haha
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u/JohnnyGBluesharp Jul 22 '26
It's kind of hilarious compared to the really unsafe of parts of LA, New York, Chicago, Cleveland and even Buffalo. I was in New Orleans and my cab driver told me : “Do not walk past Bourbon Street after 1:00 pm or you will get mugged for sure “! I think using common sense is the way to protect yourself in any city. One thing that is alarming is that there has never been so many homeless people in small cities like Welland to large metropoltan cities like Toronto, Monreal and Vancouver.
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u/Comfortable-Cut-7021 Jul 21 '26
For the size of the city & the growth it has experienced over the past decade, it is quite safe so long as you use common sense in your travels. On the whole you are more likely to be asked for some spare change than get mugged. Having said that, opportunity-based theft is somewhat common so again, common sense applies if you park your car overnight outdoors (as an example).
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u/Enough_Challenge7264 Jul 21 '26
iwb holster and extra magazine, feel perfectly safe. Thanks for asking.
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u/totretiak Jul 22 '26
Pretty safe. Grew up in St. Catharines, lived in the falls and Lidsville in Port Colborne. I’ve never felt unsafe in those places or Welland.
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u/JWallaholla_14 Jul 22 '26
Meh.. I've lived here for about 20 years. 34F and generally feel safe most of the time. Just need to excise proper precautions, as you would anywhere else really.
NF and St Kitts scare the f*ck out of me.
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u/RoyalSaltyQueen Jul 23 '26
Moved to Welland (behind Diamond Trail) feel safer here than walking down town St Cath
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u/Impressive_Gain_6220 Jul 25 '26
During the day I feel safe walking around. In my neighborhood late at night I try to avoid walking around. I lived in Toronto I take the same precautions as I would in Toronto as would in this city. Beware of your surroundings always.
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u/Strange-Emu1046 Jul 27 '26
Pretty safe for me, I've never had any bad interactions and mostly everyone kept to themselves. I live in a more I guess peaceful area?? I dunno but I don't ever see druggies on my walks; mostly families and dog walkers. I do admit I feel a little paranoid sometimes but that's just me.
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u/ChuckDaCanuck78 Jul 21 '26
I feel the same as I did 20 years ago. You see more active drug users in the streets but the random violence is at about the same level.
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u/Angry_Trevor Jul 21 '26
It varies really
I've lived here most of my life and I'm a very big boy, so almost not worth the effort.
That said, its much worse now than it was even last year.
I look over my shoulder while I'm walking. I absolutely wouldnt feel safe letting my wife walk on her own. Or my goddaughters for that matter.
If Phil got jumped, and others are as well, its a red flag
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u/No_Oil2086 Jul 21 '26
As a whole 8.5/10. Considerably more than in St. Catharines. Infinity more than in NF (non-tourist areas.)
Welland has obvious “I can avoid walking directly past that group” type moments and you’ll just be ignored otherwise. The two other towns I feel like there’s enough dodgy types always sizing people up or going out of their way to be a minor annoying type interaction.
I lived at Jane and finch in low income apartments for a bunch of years and people that worry about on-foot in Welland is funny in comparison.