CENTRE GETS GREEN LIGHT

200-Signature Petition Doesn't Dissuade Council

The debate at city hall on Monday over Chilliwack's health contact
centre--a one-stop shop of services and housing for homeless, mentally
ill and addicted individuals--was primarily about the location.

City council unanimously approved the rezoning of the Days Inn
property on Young Road for the facility.

Not one of the nearby residents and business owners who spoke against
the rezoning for the centre suggested such a facility wasn't
needed--they just didn't like the location.

Renee Woods is a mother who lives on Southlands and was involved with
one of two petitions in opposition, which she said had approximately
200 signatures.

"Downtown Chilliwack is going to look great but what about this area?"
Woods asked council.

Michael Duffus has three sons and also lives in the area. He told
council that he was addicted to crystal meth as a teenager and got
clean on his own. He also said that when he was on drugs he would have
happily signed a "good neighbour" agreement, but it would have been
meaningless.

"I am in support of those that try to get help," he said, but added.
"In that location, it's a terrible idea."

But those in opposition to the rezoning were in the
minority.

Approximately 20 people came to speak in favour of the rezoning for
the centre, more than half of whom were directly connected to the
proponent Pacific Community Resources Society (PCRS) or represented
organizations that pushed for the facility.

One of the more compelling arguments in defence of just such a hub of
services in one location came from a recovering addict.

"I have mental health and addiction problems and I suffer from really
bad anxiety," Alicia Balez told council, adding that she had been
helped out at Chilliwack Addiction and Prevention Services on Victoria
Avenue--which is run by PCRS--but added that because of her anxiety
she would have felt more comfortable in a place such as the one proposed.

RCMP Insp. Grant Wilson spoke in favour of the centre as a way to
alleviate pressure on police who often have to deal with homeless
individuals who are not necessarily criminals.

"There is no such thing as vagrancy in the criminal code anymore,"
Wilson said. "It is not illegal to be poor; it is not illegal to be
homeless."

Yet police find themselves occasionally picking up marginalized people
and because they have no other choice, taking them to the hospital and
sometimes even to jail.

"They don't belong in jail," he said.

At least one person in attendance was convinced by the arguments in
favour of the project at the meeting. Leah Cleaver lives nearby and
said she was concerned about the facility and came to learn what it
was all about.

"I feel like my fears have been allayed here," she said. "I'm not
feeling as bad as I was because I was not as knowledgeable."

One sign of support came by way of a form letter from 14 different
organizations who are either directly or indirectly involved in the
facility, which began with the line: "This letter is provided in
support of the establishment of a Health Contact Centre in downtown
Chilliwack."

Each letter was dated from December of 2009 and, given the reference
to "downtown," clearly referred to the original location proposed for
the centre at the old Trader's Inn on Yale Road.

After the public input, all six councillors and Mayor Sharon Gaetz
spoke in favour of the project, although there was some concession
that the location may not be ideal.

"This is not the ideal location," Coun. Chuck Stam said. "I don't
think there is an ideal location for this type of facility."

Coun. Sue Attrill said that mental illness and addiction are
everywhere in Chilliwack and that those who live at the health contact
centre will be those looking for help, not people the neighbours need
to worry about.

"This area will probably become the safest area around," she
said.

The planned facility will house up to 24 individuals in "transitional,
supported housing units." Those individuals will have been referred by
Fraser Health, they have to be living a substance-free lifestyle and
have to sign an agreement that includes "good neighbour" expectations
that will outline grounds for eviction.

The provincial government has contributed $3 million to purchase and
renovate the property at 8583 Young Rd., currently the Days Inn.