Pubdate: Sat, 25 May 2002 Source: Abbotsford News (CN BC) Copyright: 2002 Hacker Press Ltd. Contact: http://www.abbynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1155 Author: Trudy Beyak 'CLEAN' FOR SIX MONTHS, THEN MOVED TO BRIDGE HOUSE The Salvation Army does not accept the point made by the majority of addicts interviewed last week by the Abbotsford News. Two-thirds of the addicts said the location of a proposed "bridge house" and a transient shelter in Abbotsford's downtown area would drive them back to their addictions. Major Ron Cartmell, pastor of the Salvation Army in Abbotsford, said it must be understood that men would not be moved to a bridge house until they have been clean for at least six months and have support in the community. Recovering addicts and alcoholics at Kinghaven interviewed by the Abbotsford News said the downtown Abbotsford area is their "war zone." The majority said they would not want to live in downtown in a bridge house because they will be targetted by drug dealers and all their "triggers" are in close proximity. Combining a shelter for transients - with the propensity of transients for crime and drug dealing - with a bridge house for recovering addicts was particularly troublesome to them. The Abbotsford News interviewed 48 addicts and alcoholics with 31 of them saying a bridge house in downtown Abbotsford for recovering substance abusers would not work. When asked where they they think they should live to have the best chance of recovery, they said: either "a quiet rural area or a safe home in the suburbs." None said downtown. (See Page A1, last Saturday's edition of the Abbotsford News). Ken Hyette, director of Miracle Valley, said the viewpoints lacked the necessary context. Kinghaven offers short-term treatment, while the Salvation Army provides a long-term continuum of care for addicts with a bridge house provided in the community where there is counselling support, job training and employment opportunities, said Hyette. It is a model that is used successfully by the Salvation Army in many city downtown areas, including two bridge houses in downtown Vancouver, for example, he said. Cartmell also noted that clean and stable addicts often work in the food lines at Care and Share Centres and they serve as models for others who are still entrenched in the addiction lifestyle. "It is our firm belief that a bridge house will help the downtown area get better, not worse," said Cartmell. Mary Reeves, manager of the Abbotsford Downtown Business Association, said the Salvation Army should listen to what is best for the addicts and choose a different location. Business owners say downtown Abbotsford will deteriorate into an area like eastside Vancouver if the Salvation Army proposal to expand its Cyril Street operation is approved. The City of Abbotsford is holding a hearing on Monday at 7 p.m. to listen to the public's viewpoints on the Salvation Army proposal to build a shelter for 12 transients and and provide a bridge house with low-cost housing and support for nine recovering addicts from Miracle Valley at its Cyril Street Care and Share location. The organization is seeking the city's permission to change the current C-5 (commercial zoning) on the property. The current Morey Street shelter for nine transients would be closed if the proposal is approved. Reeves said city council should deny the proposal to prevent the area from degenerating further because there are too many liquor establishments, social service agencies and other outlets attracting people involved in crime and drugs. Police were not asked by council to do a report on the proposal to identify the potential crime factors, according to the principles of Criminal Prevention through Environmental Design - another point that worries critics of the project. The Salvation Army may buy the Cyril Street property if the rezoning is approved, provided it can raise the money and the owners clean up the contaminated soil from a (decommissioned) gas station, said Cartmell. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth