RESIDENTS JEER REHAB CENTRE

Methadone clinic's five-year lease angers locals

SOMERSET and Kent street area residents, angry at a new methadone clinic
opening in their neighborhood, found out to their dismay the centre might be
a habit that will take five years to kick. "We'd be happy to relocate if you
can find us another location and get us out of our five-year lease," said
Dr. Michael Varenbut of the Ontario Addiction Treatment Centres (OATC), the
company opening the facility at 395 Somerset St.-- on the ground floor of a
senior's residence.

Varenbut's offer, made last night at a public meeting at the Royal Canadian
Legion on Kent St., was greeted with laughter and jeers. But, aside from one
man who threatened to publish photos of methadone recipients on the
Internet, residents seemed to be in little position to do anything but
shout.

Already the centre has attracted 50 patients. Dr. Jeff Daiter, the chief
medical director of OATC, said the centre plans to eventually serve about
300 patients.

CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

Residents worry the centre will draw crime and put seniors in danger. While
they were generally sympathetic to the aims of treating drug addiction, they
said they should have been consulted before the centre opened last Monday.

Daiter said his group consulted with the community when it met with social
services and public health representatives.

"I was told 'excellent location,' " he said, only to be drowned out by
laughter and more shouts. Afterwards, he said the earlier meeting had been
open to the public, but admitted it hadn't been advertised to the general
public. "It generally doesn't go over well on first blush."

He compared the stigma faced by drug addicts to that faced by abortion
clinics, gays and lesbians and blacks.

He said most patients at the clinic are from the neighbourhood and added
crime would fall as addicts get their lives in order under methadone
treatment.

But that didn't convince residents. "You've shown nothing but contempt for
the people who live in this neighbourhood," said Shawn Dearn, the head of a
nearby condo board. He said the clinic should be located in a commercial
district.

COUNCILLOR 'SURPRISED'

Coun. Diane Holmes, who said she was as surprised by the centre as her
constituents, supports the idea of a clinic, but not in a residential area.
She said she'll be looking into whether the city can increase police
presence in the area.

She also wants special zonings for methadone clinics so council can have a
say on the location of any new ones.

The only support for the clinic came from other Ottawa doctors who are
already prescribing methadone. Dr. Bruce Marshall, of the University of
Ottawa Health Centre, said his clinic's operation near a residential area
has caused no problems and said regular health centres generally don't have
the funding to run methadone programs.

"Methadone availability in Ottawa is abysmal," Marshall said.