ADDICTION CENTRE RILES RESIDENTS

A northeast community is up in arms over an alcohol and drug treatment
centre that will likely include convict clients proposed for their
residential area, saying they fear for the safety of children.

Residents say the facility was snuck into their community without their
knowledge or that of city officials, and they demand the Fresh Start
addictions centre at the corner of 68 St. and Abbeydale Dr. be halted until
they're consulted.

"It just came out of the clear blue -- the residents of Abbeydale have been
snookered," said Brendan Green, who lives across the alley from the
proposed centre.

He said numerous schools are nearby and a day care is located one-quarter
of a block from the duplex that's reportedly preparing to take clients March 1.

"We support having addiction and homeless centres -- all we're upset about
is there's a lot of young children around," he said.

"This is not going to be an addiction centre for pot smokers or
Advil-takers ... you can't guarantee there won't be violent people there."

Green said there's been no attempt to find a more suitable location for the
centre, which would cater to 21 adult residents and staffed by six supervisors.

"An impact study would have looked at the social, parking, crime and
property-value factors," said Green, who's mobilizing the community against
the facility. He also wondered if Fresh Start met the area's zoning
regulations.

Abbeydale's police liaison officer said the centre will inevitably cater
partly to former inmates.

But while Const. Neil Compton said he understands the concerns of
neighbours, he added such facilities are nothing to fear.

"There are group homes all over the city, and these (centre's) clients
won't be running rampant all over the neighbourhood ... it's really not a
big concern," said Compton.

"Unfortunately, when people hear the word 'rehab' that's where the brain
stops -- they've got to look at the whole picture, that these (clients) are
helping themselves," he said.

Area Ald. Diane Danielson said she, too, was taken by surprise by the
centre, but said the facility might fall under proper zoning because the
building being used previously housed a group home for the disabled and
children.

"These people will be supervised, and I have more problems if it's six
single guys who have loud parties," she said. "These (addicts) are still
people, still humans."