DETOX CENTRE IN HOTEL?

One of Red Deer's oldest watering holes should be turned into a detox
centre to help alcoholics and drug addicts, says the owner.

Geoff Goodwin said he believes the Buffalo Hotel is the best location
for the detox centre and shelter proposed for downtown Red Deer.

But project developers argue that the hotel is too old and costly to
renovate on the limited funding provided by AADAC (Alberta Alcohol and
Drug Abuse Commission).

Goodwin said he would donate $100,000 worth of renovations and work
with the society to raise $200,000 to $300,000 to finish the work.
Possible donors have been identified, he said.

"There is no better place in town. This is a heritage building and it
needs to be saved, and the detox centre is a good project."

Goodwin said opponents of the proposed detox centre location - half a
block north of St. Luke's Anglican Church at 5409 Gaetz Ave., across
from the Saputo dairy plant - don't want the facility in their
backyard. But drug dealers already conduct their business in the
downtown area near the Buffalo, and a detox centre would be welcomed
there.

"The drug problem is rampant. Some business people are seeing people
shoot up in the back alley," said the hotel owner/operator.

Goodwin said he has been in detailed talks with the Safe Harbour
Society, which plans to develop and run the detox centre, but the
society preferred other locations.

First, the society selected the Scott Block at 4816 Gaetz Ave., but
the location was dropped after opposition from business owners.

The latest proposed location has come under fire because there are
several homes and two apartment blocks near the back.

Goodwin said the Buffalo isn't located near homes, and there is only
one next door business, the Club Cafe.

Safe Harbour officials admit that the Buffalo Hotel would be a good
fit, but the cost of renovations is prohibitive, despite Goodwin's
offer.

"We tried extremely hard to make that facility viable, but it doesn't
work for economic reasons," said former project manager Jim Taylor in
a speech last week.

Stacey Carmichael, chair of the Safe Harbour Society board, said the
society would have paid $100,000 annually to lease the Buffalo Hotel
tavern, in part to cover renovation costs.

The society was informed the entire building would need a sprinkler
system in order to allow residential use, she said. That would have
pushed costs even higher.

There were questions about what would happen if plumbing and
mechanical systems broke down in coming years, said Carmichael. As
well, renovations could have taken many months to complete.

By contrast, the building at 5409 Gaetz Ave. is newer and needs fewer
renovations. Renovations could be finished by early April and lease
payments would total $88,000 annually.

AADAC approved annual funding of $750,000 to open a detox centre and
emergency shelter. About $72,000 per year was allotted for lease
payments. Carmichael said the additional money needed for the lease
will be trimmed from staff wages, administration and other areas.

"Administration will be very small compared to a typical non-profit
arrangement with funding," she said.

"We are a social agency, but we also have to look at ourselves as a
business," said Carmichael.

Red Deer - which has higher addiction rates than the provincial
average - isn't lobbying for more funding, she said.

"AADAC is an Alberta government agency and they are accountable to
taxpayers. Over the long haul, they have done a lot for the community.
We are quite happy with the funding."

But Taylor said there is not enough funding to pay all costs and the
society may need to come up with its own money.

The Gaetz Avenue building provides a revenue opportunity. The society
would lease the entire building and it could rent out the top floor,
Taylor said.

The centre will include a 20-bed facility for short-term detox and a
20-bed overnight shelter for people under the influence of alcohol or
drugs.

Carmichael said the shelter cannot be built as a separate facility,
although some residents are only opposed to the shelter.

Both must operate together because some people with addictions would
use the shelter and eventually come over to the detox centre.

"These guys are sometimes hard to reach and if they are in there and
they know the staff, they are easier to reach," she said.

"Neighbours don't need to be afraid. Lots of these guys are suffering
from a mental illness and they are afraid of you."

The same addicts are now on the streets and in neighbourhoods, she
said.

"They are the guys you have to step over on your way to
work."

She said the addicts won't be allowed to hang around outside the detox
centre and shelter. Police will be called if anyone is loitering.

"It's all part of AADAC's continuum of service. The same model has
been used successfully in Edmonton and Calgary for 20 years."

A city open house will be held at the proposed location on Thursday
from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. to provide information and allow residents to
comment on the project.