Sightings of dubious activity around the Helping Hands Society drop-in centre has one downtown resident of the newly built Artisan complex asking that site monitoring be improved. But staff at the Squamish Public Library and District of Squamish say the centre has not caused any problems.The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said there appears to be drug dealing around the building. She said she repeatedly sees the same person with a bag handing something out and taking something, often in the space between the library and the centre."In all the places that I've lived from Calgary right through the Interior to here over the past 35 years, I have never ever experienced or seen what I've seen here," she said.She said she does not fear for her safety but feels the activity is a blight on the entire community."It's a social problem for the town. People who are doing drugs are stealing to feed their habits."She said vehicle break-ins are common in the neighbourhood and suggested there was a connection to drug activity.However, she said she does support the drop-in centre."Honestly, I knew that the shelter was across the street and I have no problems with that. The shelter has to be somewhere," she said. "The people who run it do their bestIt's just the nature of the beast."Drop-in centre staff make an effort to protect the centre to from illicit activity.Program co-ordinator Rick McKinney said he monitors the area outside the centre about once an hour during his shifts. He said he did not feel drug dealing was a problem. "I'm actually really surprised [by the concern] because everyone who uses the centre really needs the centre, so they don't abuse it. It's really important to them." He said he didn't know whether anyone had been caught doing illegal activity outside the centre in the past, but noted that action would be taken if such a sighting occurred."Anyone that was caught doing anything like that or doing drugs or selling drugs would be barred from the centre and definitely the police would be called." Coun. Patricia Heintzman, who volunteers at the centre and sits on its board of directors, said she has not seen any drug dealing at the centre, which she's visited once a week for the past nine months. She said any place where users might congregate is susceptible to illegal activity, but every effort is made to prevent it."We have a zero tolerance policy for any alcohol or drug usage at or near the centre. We are extremely strict about this and clients are banned for a month minimum if they are caught. There is always the possibility that they walk out of eyesight and earshot to do their deals but we are as vigilant as possible," she said.Heintzman suggested the concerned resident volunteer at the centre to better understand the people who frequent it."I know this has really helped me to understand them," she said.Squamish Public Library director Maureen Painter said she has not noticed a problem with the centre. The district's chief administrative officer, Kim Anema, said the same, adding that the district works well with the centre.Although the district did send a memo to its staff warning them not to go to their cars alone after dark, administrative services director Robin Arthurs said the message was reinforcing common sense."You'd probably do the same if you worked at Shoppers Drug Mart," Arthurs said.
