Pubdate: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 Source: Daily Courier, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 The Okanagan Valley Group of Newspapers Contact: http://209.115.237.105/kelowna/publish/include/letterToEditor.php Website: http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/531 Author: J.P. Squire 'PIECEMEAL' APPROACH TO ADDICT HOUSING SLAMMED Partners in a proposed transition house were accused of a piecemeal approach as city council's task force held its inaugural meeting Wednesday. "Is there a game plan in place? Is there a long-term strategy, or are we doing this in a piecemeal fashion?" asked task force member Weldon LeBlanc, chief executive officer of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce. "Interior Health does have a plan for addiction, drug and mental health programs. We're providing the services to the individuals, but not the actual housing," responded Ira Roness, IHA senior manager of alcohol and drug services. A larger strategy is in the works by B.C. Housing based on many housing issues, LeBlanc was reassured, but he repeated his comment about the piecemeal approach and added: "How does this fit into the big picture?" The task force was appointed by council to review the proposed 1436 St. Paul St. location, not look at potential locations for future transition housing. However, Rutland town centre rep Brad Dunlop noted: "We may look at the total picture differently than this one in isolation." Recovering addicts and alcoholics who reside at Kelowna's new transition house will be able to fall off the wagon and not get kicked out because it is a so-called "wet" facility, Roness explained to the 10 other committee members at the meeting. As long as residents of the 30-bed apartment block remain committed to the counselling program, they won't be penalized for consuming drugs on or off the premises. By comparison, a "damp" facility allows residents to consume off the premises but not there. A "dry" facility doesn't allow any drug use. "It's important to maintain that contact with residents," Roness said afterwards. "We have something that hasn't been tried in Kelowna before, but has been successful in other communities. We are confident it will work." Theresa Eichler, the city's community planning manager, who chaired the meeting, was pleased with the inaugural session. The next is at 4 p.m. Jan. 26 at City Hall. "I think it went fairly smoothly. We accomplished everything on the agenda. I think this is a good process," said Eichler. City officials didn't launch the process earlier because provincial officials demanded the city designate a specific property for the $4.5-million project, she explained. "We didn't think we had this luxury (of public consultation) when the process started. According to the premier's task force on homelessness, we needed to identify an address by last March. We were going into it in good faith." However, Jim Carta, co-ordinator of a St. Paul Street business group trying to convince council it selected the wrong site, said Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Sindi Hawkins confirmed Wednesday there is no deadline attached to the funding, "yet everything has been done on an emergency basis." - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman