Addictions Treatment Centre Set For Harwood Area

Written by Peter McIntyre  107.5 KISSFM Wednesday, 29 August 2012 17:11  
A social agency is trying to ease concerns about a new addictions treatment facility that will open this fall in Vernon.  The John Howard Society will be operating a ten bed facility for men on 43rd Avenue in the Harwood area. Another building on the site will remain an apartment building for people with a history of sobriety and are looking for a drug and alcohol free living environment. The agency has bought a site across from the Alliance Church, which already has the proper city zoning. Executive director Barb Levesque says some nearby residents have raised concerns. "There was rumours and misinformation about what our intentions were for the property. People were concerned we're going to be taken people right out of prison into an addictions treatment centre. That's not the case at all.  The centre and the apartment buildings are for anybody in Vernon. Any man can apply to the residential treatment program, and anybody who wants to live in an apartment where they know there's no drugs or alcohol are welcome to contact us and we will put them on the list." Levesque says the society will hold an information meeting Thursday September 6th at the Alliance Church, and will also form a neighborhood council similar to what was done with the Gateway Shelter. "It's a very productive process. What happens is we work together to make sure the project is a success and any concerns people in the neighborhood may have can be brought to the council." The society began investigating opening an addictions treatment facility about three years ago. "Mainly because when we get requests for that service, and people have to wait 6 to 8 weeks to get into a residential treatment centre." Levesque says they take possession of the site at the end of September. "We figure we have six to eight weeks of renovations and landscaping to do, so we're hoping by the beginning of November we can have the addictions centre open. The sober living apartments will be open right away, as soon as we taken possession."