DRUG REHAB CENTRE KILLS PLANS

OFFICIALS of a drug and alcohol treatment centre hoping to expand in
Osborne Village ditched their plan last night, saying financial
problems and unexpected community opposition killed the idea.

Tamarack Rehab centre -- which already runs a 12-bed treatment
facility on Balmoral Street -- had wanted to purchase a home on
Stradbrook Avenue and open a larger facility for crystal meth and
crack addicts.

But at the end of a heated public meeting about the proposed facility
last night, Tamarack executive director Doug Cooper said the plan is
being shelved and Tamarack will not be looking for alternative
properties in the immediate future.

"If we do (expand), we won't make the same mistakes as here," said
Cooper. "If we go into a community, we're going to go in and find out
if they will accept us first. I'm disappointed because I know how much
more we would have been able to help people."

Cooper said a combination of the hostility expressed by residents of
Osborne Village and Tamarack's inability to raise the necessary funds
have put expansion on hold indefinitely.

About three dozen area residents attended an informational meeting at
Augustine United Church last night. Many expressed anger and fear at
the idea of having recovering addicts living near them. "We've been
burnt in this area before," said Brian McWhirter, chair of the
Osborne Street Biz and an area resident. "We had a soup kitchen come
in six years ago and it brought an element of Main Street that didn't
exist before."

Another resident who did not want to give her name, said she had
doubts about whether addicts could truly recover living so close to
the corner of Osborne and River Avenue where drug users and dealers
are known to congregate. Others worried that recovering addicts may
relapse and cause problems. Some residents feared crime would increase.

But after listening to the sometimes hostile group, officials from
Tamarack announced the plan was being ditched.

Winnipeg city Coun. Jenny Gerbasi (Fort Rouge), said the death of the
proposal means some addicts won't get the help they need.