HIDEOUT A DRUG HAVEN

Used Syringes Found Under Creekside Parking Lot

A hazardous materials team collected dozens of dirty needles from a
dank, seedy hideout under a downtown parking lot yesterday.

"It's a biological hazard," said Sgt. Gary Conn, of the Chatham- Kent
Police Service.

He estimated seeing more than 50 used syringes and other drug
paraphernalia in the cavernous space under 65 King St. W. during a
recent visit.

The area, along the bank of McGregor's Creek near Tecumseh Park, is
known by local youth as "the land of no wind" and "the cove," he said.

"Recently we've had some complaints about people going down there and
doing drugs," Conn said.

Commonly injected drugs include heroine, methamphetamine and
cocaine.

Evidence of drug use was littered throughout the area, including
countless syringe wrappers, used needles and empty saline solution
containers. Packets with cards from the Chatham-Kent Needle Exchange
Program, condoms and brochures about STDs were also strewn about.

Graffiti covers most of the concrete walls and ceiling, and clothes
and trash were scattered on the dirt floor.

Pat Bruette, director of public works south for the municipality, said
after the area is cleaned out, it will be barricaded.

"Hopefully that will put a stop to it," he said.

He noted several trees and bushes were cut from the area yesterday to
make it more visible.

Bruette said he's never seen anything like the mess under the parking
lot.

In public works, he said employees aren't usually exposed to dirty
needles and drug paraphernalia.

He couldn't say how many used syringes he spotted.

"I didn't try to count them, it was a significant number," he
said.

A local business owner, who didn't want to be identified, said she has
recently started seeing people going to the area.

"Obviously anything that happens under there is no good," she
said.

"It's been a concern of ours -- it was only a matter of time before
something bad happened."

The woman noticed used needles around the riverbank, in the area of
the parking lot.

She called police, who stepped up patrols in the area.

She's impressed that police and the municipality are taking such swift
action.

"It takes a weight off our shoulders," she said.

An employee at another local shop, who didn't want to give his name,
said he's heard of people going down there.

However, he didn't realize they were doing drugs.

"I'm surprised there hasn't been more crime in the area because of
that," he said.

Conn said police believe the area is frequented by youth because of
the large amount of graffiti.

As well, he said a group of local youths were caught down there
recently.

They were warned to stay away and none of them were in possession of
any drugs, he added.

April Rietdyk, director of public health, was surprised to hear of the
number of syringes discovered under the parking lot.

"This injection site was not known," she said. "We would find many
more sites like this if the needle exchange program wasn't in existence."

She said 80 per cent of the syringes handed out by the needle exchange
program are returned.

Approximately 10,000 needles are given out each month, she said.
Distributed along with syringes through the program are wipes, sterile
water, condoms and information about STDs, Rietdyk said.

The government-mandated harm reduction program, which started locally
in 1999, is aimed at ensuring intravenous drug users have access to
sterile needles.

The program is often an addict's first point of contact with the
health care system and a large number are referred for addiction
services, Rietdyk said.

The director said drug use among local youth who attend school is low,
under 10 per cent, according to the 2007 youth health assessment.

She noted the average age of a drug user in the needle exchange
program is over 35.