Sylvie Paillard
[email protected]
Residents from all over Squamish packed City Hall last Thursday (March 9) to hear about a recovery support house intended for a former Brackendale bed and breakfast on Depot Road at Hwy. 99.
A panel of Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), Sea to Sky Community Services (STSCS) and Community Advisory Committee representatives began the meeting by explaining their intention.
"We're not opening a drug rehab centre," said Claudia Frowein, VCH manager of addictions and mental health services.Frowein said the facility is a six-bedroom house for addicts transitioning from treatment back into their own community. She said 72 per cent of Squamish residents seeking help receive treatment for alcohol or marijuana. She added that no one with a violent history would be admitted and no alternate drug programs, such as methadone treatments, would be available.
Lois Wynne, executive director of STSCS said the goal of the house's program is to help local recovering addicts establish a relapse prevention plan. The program also encourages positive self-concept and behaviours as well as participation in household meetings and daily chores, all under 24-hour supervision.
Numerous angry residents, most from Brackendale, spoke out nonetheless against the house, the lack of local involvement in the process and the cost to taxpayers.
"A lot of neighbours are spooked," said Brackendale resident Sandy MacKay.
The residence is costing VCH $2,200 a month for the duration of its one-year lease, and some Brackendale residents said health workers could get three houses for that price in another part of town. Others went straight to the point.
"I'm 100 per cent behind this facility," said Dawne St. Cyr, owner of neighbouring Dryden Creek campground. "Just not in my backyard."
Barnabas Walther, VCH regional director, mental health and addictions, said socio-economic factors can increase the probability of severe depression and substance abuse by 60 per cent.
He said one of the protective factors is a solid community.
"It's important as a community to work together for services for your neighbours and friends," he said.
Other residents in attendance spoke out to say they are recovering addicts and that facilities like these are necessary to ensure successful recovery.
"Do you want to just push us all away?" said one recovering addict. "They've got a place now. Let it happen."
Others said they lived next to recovery houses and found the residents to be "great" neighbours.
"It's okay to have a drink, but it's not okay to have a drinking problem," said one proponent of the house. "We have alcoholics and addicts in our homes. Here people are trying to get better. I think you should support it."
Supportive statements were often met with groans and comments such as "so have it in your backyard."
Peter Gordon of Communities that Care made an impassioned speech stating that local organizations have been trying to get a facility for 10 years. He said he would welcome a recovery house next to his Garibaldi Highlands residence and make every attempt to be a good neighbour.
"I'm not in fear of what people are going to do," he said. "People need to recover, it can't just be the role of government and industry. It has to be the community."Another advocate of the recovery house asked what would become of the community if everyone had a NIMBY attitude, referring to the anagram "not in my backyard". But some Brackendale residents, such as Thor Froslev, owner of the Brackendale Art Gallery, wore this moniker with pride.
"I'm not just NIMBY," said Froslev. "I'm NIM-double-BY. Not in my Brackendale backyard."
Brackendale resident Sharon Tait followed up on the information meeting by emailing a list of questions to Frowein. Among the questions, Tait asked whether VCH intends to extend the one-year lease; whether the facility will "look like a used car lot"; how many guests will be "coming and going"; what kind of "signage, noise, nuisance, litter and security" will be present; and "What measures are you going to take to ensure impacts are mitigated and that the area remains a quiet residential area?"
Frowein said that the service provider, STSCS, could best answer questions, but she answered a few questions nonetheless. VCH recommends that no signage be present to maintain the residents' privacy, she said.
"With regards to litter, etc, my observation of care homes is that they are ALWAYS well maintained - in fact, generally much better than your 'average' neighbour," she wrote. "The RCMP would provide support if needed, however, it is unlikely that there would be any security issues. I personally spent three years working in a support-recovery house, and never in those three years had there ever been a security breach or the need to involve police."
Frowein also said that no other local support recovery house is planned and during the next year, the STSCS may look into a more permanent location in Squamish's downtown.
Residents were invited to join an advisory committee specifically on the issue of the Brackendale recovery house. Interested residents can contact the STSCS for more information.
