NEEDLE BOXES WILL ADORN DOWNTOWN

Residents Hope Addicts Will Leave Used Needles In Boxes, Not On Their Streets

Concerned residents near Nanaimo's downtown want city councillors to
install needle drop boxes used to collect the discarded and possibly
infectious items left behind by drug addicts.

Public works staff can't move fast enough for those who want the
steel bins installed, but the box construction and proper public
consultation will take at least another two weeks before councillors
can choose the locations for the devices.

Outreach workers from several needle exchange programs hand out new
syringes to addicts every week and while staff say recovery rates are
high, neighbours still complain about finding needles in Nob Hill
Park and along city streets. Because of these concerns, outreach
workers support the drop boxes, but one organizer said he would not
be able to provide accurate recovery rate information.

Not all needles come from outreach programs. Addicts can buy them
from pharmacies as well.

The drop boxes might have been available earlier, but blueprints city
staff borrowed from Calgary did not match up with the sharp bucket
used inside the steel frame.

"Staff are building their own design because there is no company that
manufactures these things," said city social planner John Horn. "And
each province uses a different style. Our (sharp) boxes are square
and Alberta uses round ones."

One vocal south-end resident has been lobbying the city to fast-track
the box installment. James Younger says that without a recovery
mechanism, the needles pose a threat to anyone in the area.

Dennis Ano operates an outreach needle exchange from the Tillicum
Lelum Friendship Centre. He keeps track of returned syringes for his
statistics, a method that will prove ineffective once the drop boxes
appear. He hopes that his and similar programs don't get a bad
reputation because it appears they are not collecting needles they hand out.

"We want to exchange used ones with new ones, but if someone is
asking for a clean syringe, and they have nothing in return, I have a
responsibility to give them a new one," he said.

Councillors will consult with the neighbourhoods to come up with the
best location for the three boxes, but some spots might be obvious,
according to Coun. Dianne Brennan. She has met with several community
representatives who have offered several suggestions, including Nob
Hill Park, the public stairwell near Cavan Street and a third
location closer to downtown.

"Residents have been asking us to deal with needles that are
discarded and this is something we're doing," Brennan said.

"We promised we would get working on it, but obviously some
delegations to council said we're taking far too long."

Younger called for more than three boxes, but the city will look at
more if necessary, according to Horn.