WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?

Downtown Community Weighs In, For And Against, Methadone Clinic

OSHAWA - It doesn't bother owners Kim and Doug Ross their new business,
Roscoe's Sweet Shoppe, sits directly across the street from the methadone
clinic the City has fought tooth and nail against.

In fact, they moved into the Simcoe Street space last November knowing
exactly who their new neighbours would be.

"It really never concerned us, at least not enough to deter us from opening
a business," said Mr. Ross. "We looked around and we liked this area. There
are a lot of people who don't even realize they are there."

First Step Medical Clinic is a facility that treats painkiller and heroin
addicts using methadone, an opiate which doesn't produce a high. It has met
with a barrage of opposition from City councillors and downtown businesses
after it decided to move just blocks away from its original home on King
Street West to Simcoe just north of Athol Street.

The City originally blocked the move, instituting an interim control bylaw
preventing methadone clinics from moving into the downtown core until it
had studied possible impacts. That bylaw was struck down by the Ontario
Municipal Board and the clinic moved in last November.

Just last week, however, Ontario's Superior Court granted the City leave to
appeal that decision.

But, the consultant who studied possible methadone clinic impacts in the
downtown core concluded there has been very little impact since First Step
moved in and Mr. and Mrs. Ross agree.

"We haven't had any real problems," said Mr. Ross, who opened the candy,
coffee and chocolate shop just days ago, but has been working out of the
store every day since November, when the clinic opened.

"Parking is the only real problem," added Mrs. Ross. "They park out in
front (of the clinic) and use the spaces, but they don't really shop
anywhere else."

In fact, Mr. and Mrs. Ross felt so comfortable with the area they also
moved from their home in Whitby to the apartment above the store.

"We walk our dog around the neighbourhood every night. It's safe," said Mr.
Ross. "I think downtown Oshawa is a place with a lot of potential and I
haven't seen any problems out there, at least not because of the methadone
clinic."

An informal survey taken Monday on the streets of downtown Oshawa garnered
mixed reaction, but seemed to bear out a similar response.

Out of 97 people questioned, 59 were not aware of the clinic's whereabouts
- - the majority of whom didn't even know it existed.

Thirty-eight of those questioned knew about the methadone clinic and its
general whereabouts and although very few said they felt unsafe in the
area, many of the 38 said the clinic was creating problems for the already
downtrodden downtown.

"I really don't think it has changed the dynamic of downtown because
downtown is pretty much a ghost town as it is. It isn't taking away from
the business because businesses didn't want to come here before the
methadone clinic," said Robin Parker, who works downtown. "I haven't seen
any crime increase."

"I just think it is a bad place for it because of businesses and things
like that and there are constantly people hanging out down here," added
Oshawa resident Leo Burton. "I would like to see them move it. I thought
they were trying to better downtown, not make it worse."

Reaction to the clinic's first eight months of operation from other
downtown businesses has also varied.

Dino Demeri of Dino's Menswear at 12 King St. E., says the clinic has hurt
his business.

"I've seen an increase in the number of strange people downtown since it
opened... they're not regular shoppers," he said.

But, Mr. Demeri admits the problems of downtown Oshawa's struggling retail
district cannot all be blamed on First Step.

"The empty stores, it's not just downtown Oshawa it's retail businesses all
over," he said. "I just think this place should not be located in a retail
environment. What is this: a welfare and drop-in centre or a downtown?"

Jennie Lancaster, manager at The Works, a 24-hour restaurant just north of
Simcoe and King Street, says when she first heard the clinic was coming she
braced for the worst.

But, since it has opened she has seen only positive impacts on the downtown
and the restaurant's business.

"We just have more traffic coming in, and it's positive people, quiet, just
minding their own business and coming in for something to eat," she said.
"There are already some problems with downtown Oshawa, but the clinic
hasn't added to it, not at all, you wouldn't even know they're there."

Anna Visconti, vice-chairman of the Downtown Board of Management and owner
of Brushstrokes, an art and supplies store at 11 Celina St., a few blocks
from the clinic, says the No. 1 impact First Step has had is not based in
reality, but in the perception of what methadone may bring with it.

"I'd be lying if I said it was just the methadone clinic. Downtown we've
been affected by a lot of things," she said. "But, it's the perception of
the methadone clinic that's really hurt us. People are afraid to come down
here. There's nothing wrong with downtown, but the perception can kill you
more than the actual fact."

Along with the perception, Ms. Visconti, who has fought adamantly against
the clinic's relocation from the outset, also says she's had some real
problems since First Step opened.

"I've had to call the police seven times," she said. "There have been
people shooting up in my parking lot."

Ms. Visconti rents six apartments above her store and says she has had
trouble filling them since the clinic relocated. "Last year I had no
problems renting an apartment," she said. "Now, people hear it's downtown
and they say no. People don't want to come downtown."

- - With files from Alexis Sciuk