ADDICTION CENTRE CLOSER TO REALITY

A 12-bed women's addiction treatment centre could be open in February if
its approval process goes quickly.

Now that the application was received by Abbotsford city council Monday,
the next step is to go over service and works requirements, said senior
city planner Margaret Thornton.

"If the applicant accepts those required changes then I'll prepare a bylaw
amendment and then we'll prepare for a public hearing," which could be as
early as January or February, said Thorton.

"They're anxious to get going. We'll be meeting with the applicants this
week," she said.

The centre would be operated by B.C. Teen Challenge, a international group
that already runs a similar treatment program for young men in Yarrow, just
east of Abbotsford.

Director Barry Berger said he'd like to see the centre open by
mid-February. There are eight women already waiting to join the year-long
live-in program that has 24-hour supervision.

"The women will be 19 and older. They're addicted to coke, heroin, many are
prostitutes because that's how they pay for their drugs," said Berger.

Teen Challenge is a Christian-based program that follows "the Bible not the
Big Book" of 12-step programs, he said. People don't have to be Christian,
but in his experience, Berger says the students invariably do become
Christians.

B.C. Teen Challenge is funded from private and corporate donors, with no
funding from any government sources.

"We don't even allow people to be on welfare. We teach them that for
able-bodied people, welfare is not an option," said Berger.

The site for the women's centre is in a rural setting, nestled against the
south side of Sumas Mountain at 4131 Lakemount Lodge Rd. Owner Margaret
DeBoer wants to donate the 21.4-hectare rural parcel and its large
single-family house, situated just south of the Abbotsford Fish and Game Club.

Berger said the organization won't take over the land until the rezoning
from rural to special housing area goes through.

While no expansion of the house is planned, the existing septic tank needs
to be upgraded and health, fire and safety improvements will be needed,
Thornton said.

The project proposal was endorsed by the Abbotsford Downtown Business
Association in August, when current Mayor Mary Reeves was then its
executive director.