Concerned citizens of Harbour Grace came away from a recent town council meeting feeling just as much in the dark about a proposed adult residential addictions centre as they were six months ago when funding for the centre was first announced in Budget 2010.
At this point in time the questions they have about this facility far outnumber the answers they are getting.
Their biggest concern is location. Whatever sites are being considered, they would simply like to know where they are.
When they put that question to Mayor Don Coombs, he told them what they had already read in The Compass last April - that he had met with government officials and several sites around town had been looked at, but nothing had been finalized.
Coombs confirmed for The Compass what the citizens had been hearing through the rumour mill. The SPLASH Centre has been identified as a potential site for the facility. The centre happens to be located on Lady Lake Road, in an area where most of the concerned citizens live.
The fact government already owns this building may be one of the contributing factors to its being an ideal candidate for the facility. But the concerned citizens would beg to differ.
The biggest problem they have with this site is that it happens to be smack in the middle of their neighbourhood. Not only do they feel their neighbourhood is not the place for such a facility, but it doesn't belong in any residential area of town.
Vehemently denying council is withholding any information from its citizens, Mayor Coombs says he believes there is a false perception and fear among citizens that the facility would become a free-for-all, with addicts roaming the streets of their neighbourhood.
Perhaps any fears and misperceptions citizens may have are based on a lack of information, which is not helping matters.
But the citizens emphasize they are not against the addictions centre in principle. They agree it is "desperately needed."
However, as taxpayers, they argue they should have some say in its location before any final decisions have been reached.
We couldn't agree more.
Through this medium, Mayor Coombs has assured the citizens they will be consulted before any final decisions on the location of this facility are made. He said there will be public consultations.
And according to their letter to the editor, MHA Jerome Kennedy has also assured them their views would be considered.
Let's hope the people are consulted on this issue sooner rather than later, and they are given all the information they need to make an informed decision.
With all hands appearing to agree on the need for this facility, it would be a shame to see it being put in jeopardy by any misperceptions based on a lack of information on what exactly it entails and where it is going to be.
No question, on this issue, the air over Harbour Grace needs to be cleared, and the sooner the better.
bbowman@cbncompass.ca
