NEEDLE EXCHANGE IS TOO CLOSE TO SCHOOLS

VIHA has unintentionally proposed a fixed site needle exchange
directly across the street from a school. Several members of the
needle exchange committee admit that, until recently, the committee
was unaware of the schools operating on Princess Avenue.

Had VIHA consulted with the neighbourhood earlier in the process, we
could have saved them a lot of time and effort.

My husband and I are property owners at 736 Princess Ave. Our friend
Bert Rogers owns a property at 732 Princess. For 19 years we have
leased several floors of our buildings to a school, Western Academy
of Photography. The school is attended by about 60 Canadian and
international students age 17 and up. The photo studios are in high
demand for student projects with bookings around the clock.

A second school, Hidden Distance Kung Fu Academy, is three doors from
the proposed site and is attended by children ages five and up.

VIHA's Harm Reduction publication of July 2009 states that a fixed
site would not be located near a school.

I appreciate that VIHA is desperate for a fixed site needle exchange.
However, the existence of these schools makes this site unsuitable.

Rosemary Wright

Victoria