BUSINESSES WARY OF CLINIC FOR ADDICTS

New Location Of Needle Exchange Accomplished By 'Trickery': Store Owner

Business owners in Nanaimo's Old City Quarter are upset that a
street-level health clinic that includes a needle exchange for drug
users was snuck into a Franklyn Street heritage home, even though
they have been assured by the group behind the move that the
well-being of the neighbourhood will be protected.

The clinic was located on Cavan street but lost its lease in June.
The move to the house at 375 Franklyn St. -- built in 1898 by the
Harris family -- will happen in January.

Gord Cote of Nanaimo and Area Resource Services for Families (NARSF)
said it was good business practice to not make an announcement until
the lease was signed.

The delay in notification was enough to rile some business owners,
who question the suitability of the location for such a service and
remain annoyed they were not consulted.

Members of NARSF hope to communicate better with their new neighbours
and offer assurances about safety.

Rob Kelly of Ardent Properties, two doors away from the clinic, said
that he lived on Cavan Street where the clinic was located and
doesn't want such a clinic in his neighbourhood.

He also has concerns that zoning changes allowed for a lack of
consultation in placing such services in the downtown area.

"People choose our business or they choose another one," he said.
"The bigger concern for me is we have nine employees."

Eric McLean of McLean's Specialty Foods and president of the Old City
Quarter Association said he was surprised to hear the clinic was
moving to Franklyn Street. He also said he wanted more advance notice.

"There was no prior warning or consultation," said McLean. "The
general feeling is we've spent countless hours and thousands of
dollars to ensure our customers have a safe place. They are not going
to feel safe with this service in their midst."

McLean also said he feels there was "trickery and subterfuge" in
announcing the clinic only after the lease was signed.

As soon as the deal was done last week, NARSF tried to initiate
discussions with neighbours, said Cote. Even Kelly admits that a
meeting with Cote and consultant Jane Templeman did not go well.

"I don't know if we gave a fair chance to expand on those views," said Kelly.

Cote and Templeman said part of what they wanted to explain is that
they are committed to the well-being of the neighbourhood while
seeking to serve street people with pressing health needs. They say
they are committed to a continuing dialogue with the community.

He said they are eager to negotiate a Good Neighbour Agreement,
involve all necessary agencies in the process and also engage the
Safer Nanaimo process.

Cote also said problems with the homeless and substance abusers may
be worse in the area if there is no clinic.

"It's an important service but it's one part of dealing with
homelessness, alcohol and drug addiction," he said. "We're trying to
engage with some hard-to-serve folks and trying to bring them into
the health system."

But Kelly disagrees, saying his research shows it's a poor location.
"I'm not sure the site in this location will achieve those objectives."

McLean said that the opposition will continue, feeling it is unfair
that so many services are now located in the downtown area.

"We want to be calm about this, but the feeling I'm getting from our
members is we don't want this," he said. "The feeling is that the
rest of the community should share in this."

Cote and Templeman say they are willing to start working on the Good
Neighbour Agreement as soon as they can. But they also need the
community to understand that the clinic has to be strategically
situated for those in dire need of health care.

"They are incredibly complicated and sad stories. It's not as if we
tap them on the shoulder and it's all better."