THE REAL PROBLEM?

Re: Avenue has new owners, Nov. 1 Herald-Tribune:

This is a good news story for the downtown area, however, it doesn't
solve the problem of the drug abuse in this city.

The people who frequented the Park Hotel and Germaine Park will only
move somewhere else.

Grande Prairie needs to take a hard, long look at the drug problem we
have and instead of closing things down and moving people around, do
something positive.

We, as a community, pride ourselves on how we are great volunteers,
etc. We now need to take care of our community members who - God
forbid - got hooked on these horrible drugs.

I don't have the answer or the solution but we need to get our heads
out of the sand and deal with this issue and soon, before Grande
Prairie becomes a place in which people are scared to live.

BERNIE BENSON

Grande Prairie