Pubdate: Fri, 02 Oct 2009
Source: Surrey Leader (CN BC)
Copyright: 2009 Surrey Leader
Contact:  http://www.surreyleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1236
Author: Kevin Diakiw

HOME NOT WELCOME: RESIDENTS

Newton residents are readying for battle as a huge recovery home 
project heads to public hearing on Monday.

Liz Walker, and many others, were handing out pamphlets on Wednesday, 
encouraging locals to appear at city hall's regular council meeting Oct. 5.

At issue is Welcome Home, a 72-unit private facility for drug and 
alcohol recovery, planned for 6925 King George Highway. The first 
phase, being considered Monday, is a 36-unit facility, which is 
expected to eventually double in size.

Walker says more there are more questions than answers regarding the 
facility, which she says is too large for "anyone's backyard."

Spokesman Bil Koonar said Welcome Home will provide a much-needed 
service in the city.

Drug addicts and alcoholics wanting to break their addictive cycle 
would stay up to four years, away from the environment that kept them 
using. Slowly, they'll be given added responsibilities, and shown how 
to make better decisions. Part of that process will be getting them 
involved in volunteer work in the community, Koonar said.

He said one of the biggest myths in the community is that clients 
would be wandering around the neighbourhood.

In the Welcome Home setting, client containment will be much easier 
than in a more traditional recovery house setting, he said.

Some, including Surrey's mayor, are concerned about the scope of the project.

Koonar said there is a similar facility in San Fransisco housing 500 
people in the midst of a residential setting, and another in New York 
with 200 in an upscale nieghbourhood.

The project is being funded by philanthropist John Volken, who said 
the $20-million recovery community will have a host of necessary 
amenities, including classrooms, an on-site dentist and gymnasium, 
along with a store where they'll work.

Volken is also selling his $5.5-million West Vancouver mansion to 
live in the Surrey treatment centre.

Residents in the area say they're fed up with becoming a dumping 
ground for social service facilities, including Surrey's largest 
homeless shelter, situated only two blocks away from Welcome Home.

The public hearing begins at city hall at 7 p.m.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart