HELP NEIGHBOURS COPE WITH CHANGE

Victoria's homeless shelter and its needle exchange have to go somewhere.

By consensus, they have become vital components of the city's
strategy for dealing with the growing problem of homelessness and addictions.

Unfortunately, and understandably, these are not facilities that many
of us would choose to have in our neighbourhoods. On that score,
perfect locations will never be found.

This is a case, though, where pursuit of perfection should not
prevent the achievement of the good.

Relocating the needle exchange to a building next to the new Our
Place drop-in centre on Pandora Avenue seems so clearly logical. It
is already in an area inhabited and frequented by people who would
benefit from that service.

Nevertheless, it will undoubtedly introduce new challenges to that
area, which are sure to worry business operators and nearby
residents. AIDS Vancouver Island, which operates the needle exchange,
and the Vancouver Island Health Authority, which pays for it, need to
work out detailed plans with those business owners and residents to
ensure that users of the facility don't destroy the neighbourhood.

AIDS Vancouver Island, VIHA and the City of Victoria cannot allow the
open drug use, littering of needles, public urination and threatening
of passersby that plagued the Cormorant Street location to simply
migrate to the new location. Establishing a community policing office
at the site should help maintain the peace. So should a prohibition
against loitering.

But the partners in the needle exchange need to make sure the site is
adequately supervised. If necessary, they must be prepared to bring
in private security. Integrating the exchange with other social
services -- such as doctors and nurses -- will bring more trained
eyes and ears to the area. These professionals should make it part of
their duties to nudge their clients into controlling the anti-social
aspects of their behaviour.

Similarly, the proposal to relocate the Streetlink homeless shelter
to Rock Bay is a good, yet imperfect idea. For it to succeed, though,
will require the neighbours to buy into it. So far, the city has done
a poor job of consultation. It's not too late.

Paul Gerrard, president of the Burnside-Gorge Community Association,
says that he expects residents will accept the shelter proposal if
they feel there has a been a public process. One difficulty, though,
with Gerrard's position is that he would like to start the process
from the beginning by asking if the Ellis Street Park is even the
right location.

Unfortunately, the city likely will never find the "right" location.
The city can, however, answer fundamental questions, such as how to
deal with persons denied access to the shelter because they are too inebriated.

Those using shelters and the needle exchange need help. Some citizens
are giving over their neighbourhoods to that effort. The rest of us
should be prepared to chip in by supporting sufficient public money
for these facilities to keep those neighbourhoods safe and secure.