RECOVERY HOME EYES A NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD

A society that helps people overcome addictions to alcohol and drugs
wants to build three recovery houses in a single-family neighbourhood
on Ash Street.

Turning Point Recovery Society is proposing one 20-bed,
11,000-square-foot house behind two side-by-side 3,500-square-foot
houses, each housing 10 addicts.

A single boarded-up home stands on the property, at 8180 Ash St.,
where the project is proposed. Although it once served as a group home
for youth, Turning Point needs to apply to rezone the
25,000-square-foot site because of the project's size.

The property is surrounded by single-family homes and is a block away
from Howard DeBeck Elementary and DeBeck House, the future home of
Richmond Family Place.

Turning Point, a 25-year-old society, already operates a recovery
house in Richmond. That house, at 10411 Odlin Rd, has nine beds
available for men only. It also operates two facilities in Vancouver.

The houses act as safe havens for people who want to recover from
their addictions. The average stay at Turning Point is three months.

Executive director Brenda Plant said the society's houses have
wait-lists of six to 10 weeks, and 60 per cent of residents in the
program are homeless before they arrive.

"The thing about addiction that's so sad, is that for a lot of people
they kind of have that epiphany or that moment of clarity...they're
ready to go to detox, or they're ready to go to treatment or support
recovery and there's nothing available, so they lose that moment
because there's just not enough beds."

Turning Point plans to submit its application to the city in the next
few weeks and is already preparing to meet with neighbours to allay
fears. Open houses, tours of the Odlin Road facility and a community
liaison committee are all being contemplated.

In 1999, Turning Point faced fierce opposition when it relocated to
Odlin. City planning committee meetings were packed with opponents,
residents held protests nightly and newspapers carried the campaign to
block the move on their front pages.

"It was unbelievable," said Mayor Malcolm Brodie, who was the chair of
planning at the time. "I've never seen anything like it."

Once the initial opposition died down, Brodie said he hasn't fielded
any complaints about its operation in Odlin. Nevertheless, Brodie said
a new application from Turning Point must include neighbourhood
consultation.

The Odlin neighbourhood feared Turning Point would bring drug dealers
with it and cause property values to plummet.

Neither happened, Plant said.

"People at our facilities can't use drugs or alcohol, or they're
discharged."

Plant estimated police have been called to the home five times in
seven years, and never because of an incident at the home. Neighbours
who once railed against the society are now some of their best
advocates, she said.

The new facility would offer beds for men and women and second-stage
housing--for people who have already completed a recovery program.

Turning Point has applied for funding for the project under the
Provincial Homelessness Initiative. Funding has not yet been approved.

Turning Point

Turning Point approaches recovery with a 12-step program. Residents
also participate in counselling, and sessions focused on life-skills,
stress management, conflict resolution and anger management. Education
in work skills, health and relapse prevention is also offered.

According to the society, more than 80 per cent of its clients remain
drug and alcohol free one year after completing the program.