UNLICENSED INJECTION SITE CLOSES ITS DOORS

Operators of an unlicensed safe-injection site in the Downtown
Eastside say they plan to close it to drug users at 2 a.m. today.

Two weeks ago, when Vancouver police boarded up the facility at 327
Carrall Street and changed the locks, the operators vowed to keep it
open.

But Dean Wilson of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users said
Monday the site has served its purpose and it will now be used as a
community meeting place. In an interview with BC CTV, Wilson said the
unlicensed site was initially set up to call attention to the need for
a legal facility in the city.

Now that a licensed site sanctioned by Health Canada is up and running
nearby under the guidance of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority,
Wilson said the unlicensed site can be closed.

"What it was was a response to something. It's served its purpose,"
Wilson said. "It's still going to be a community meeting spot."

The volunteers who run the unlicensed site refused to speak to The
Vancouver Sun on Monday, but said they would hold a press conference
at 1 p.m. today. The last time the volunteers held a press conference
was after Vancouver police boarded the facility up and changed the
locks Sept. 30. At that time, the volunteers vowed to keep the site
running for as long as possible.

The unlicensed safe injection site was opened by Downtown Eastside
advocates April 7. A rotating collection of volunteers kept it running.