Pubdate: Fri, 29 Sep 2006
Source: Prince Albert Daily Herald (CN SN)
Copyright: 2006 Prince Albert Daily Herald
Contact:  http://www.paherald.sk.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1918
Author: Barry Glass, Herald Staff

REHAB FACILITY PUT TO A VOTE

A proposed youth treatment facility got a welcome from Birch Hills 
town council, but citizens have demanded -- and are getting -- a vote on it.

Over the past year, the Prince Albert Grand Council has looked at 
locations in the area for the facility, which would have 15 beds for 
youths aged 12-17 who have substance addictions.

It now has 20 acres of raw land lined up in the southwest corner of 
Birch Hills, said chief executive officer Darrell Haysom.

The town is about 40 kilometres southeast of Prince Albert and has 
about 1,000 people.

A public forum in early September gave people a chance to find out 
what the facility would be like.

"I have to commend them," said Haysom. "They asked intelligent 
questions, listened to the answers and then made the decision."

Citizens gave it the green light and since then, town council has 
approved the zoning and the purchase of the land, he said.

But a petition with 226 signatures was dropped off at the Birch Hills 
town office on Thursday asking for a yes-or-no vote on the matter, 
said Mayor Gordon Dyck.

So, in accordance with town bylaws, Dyck said a binding vote will be 
held on Oct. 25, the same day as municipal elections.

"Our council is behind (the facility) 100 per cent," he said.

An agreement for the PAGC to purchase the land has been signed, he 
said, but council will have to abide by the vote.

The petition asking for the vote does not indicate whether the 
signatories are for or against the facility, just that they want to 
vote on it, said Dyck.

For Haysom, just reaching this point has been frustrating because of 
the hurdles involved getting acceptance from future neighbours.

"With any type of project such as this, we're going to have people 
for it and people against it," he said.

Some people think substance abuse is a problem everywhere except 
where they live, he said.

But he said a high school student stood up at the forum to tell 
people the youth in Birch Hills are dealing with substance abuse as 
much as those in any other community.

A deal was close just a few months ago to use land in the Rural 
Municipality of Buckland for the facility.

However, Buckland's council voted in August against allowing the land 
to be used for such a facility.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine