Open Drug Use, Violence Plague Businesses in Duncan, BC—But One Shop Owner Is Trying to Turn the Tide

Will Arnold stands by a mural outside his shop, Experience Cycling, in Duncan, B.C., on June 12, 2024. Courtesy of Will Arnold

When Will Arnold set up a bike shop in Duncan, B.C., more than 30 years ago, he didn’t realize he'd spend nearly a decade dealing with littered streets, graffiti, and open drug use.

He certainly never thought he would be threatened with a gun or have a knife pulled on him in the once-quiet community of 5,000 people.