Pubdate: Fri, 25 Jan 2002
Source: Maple Ridge Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc
Contact:  http://www.mrtimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1372
Author: Simone Blais

ADDICT HOUSE GOES AHEAD AFTER WINNING APPEAL

By the grace of God go I.

That was the sentiment behind naming a new Maple Ridge drug rehabilitation 
home, set to open its doors on Feb. 1, signifying a greater power at work 
in recovery.

Billy Weselowski, the executive director and cofounder of Innervisions 
Recovery Society of B.C., said that's why he chose to name the facility 
Hannah House - to show addicts they can overcome, as did the facility 
itself after a lengthy court battle with residents.

"Hannah means by the grace of God, so all the trials and tribulations were 
worth it," he said.

The home will house 10 beds for women dealing with drug addictions, staffed 
by two workers during the day and one in the evening, and is based on 
Weselowski's Innervisions program which has been rehabilitating drug 
addicts for more than 10 years.

"Flat out, there's a desperate need," he said of the urgency to secure beds 
solely for women. The last figures he had received from the health region 
indicated to him there were 95 beds for men in the area, and only 18 
allocated for women.

Hannah House, however, hasn't exactly been welcomed with open arms by 
neighbouring residents concerned about the appropriateness of such a 
facility in a residential area.

Heather Rajala, a former Dunbar Street homeowner and mother of two, made 
the decision to sell her house and property after the courts approved 
Hannah House just down the street.

"It wasn't the only factor that made us move, but it was one of them," she 
said.

People living in the area attempted to stop the project by bringing the 
case to Supreme Court, saying the rehab centre contravenes a restrictive 
covenant, registered in the land titles' office by the people who developed 
the land in the 1960s, which forbids businesses from setting up shop in the 
area.

"We wanted to keep the covenant so that kids could still play street hockey 
and have water fights in the streets," said Dunbar resident Lynn Currie, 
making reference to the fact that when at least six people will be living 
in the facility, plus staff, cars will have to park on the street. "I don't 
know that our neighbourhood is a reasonable place to be putting such a 
facility."

The residents won that case. But having already invested time, energy and 
money into the location, Weselowski wasn't about to back down, bringing it 
to the B.C. Court of Appeal for reconsideration.

The main obstacle was the wording of the restrictive covenant, which said 
houses on those lands on Dunbar Street in Maple Ridge "shall not be used 
for domestic habitation, and no industrial or commercial occupation, 
business or enterprise" could be carried out.

The presiding justice, however, overturned the decision because the words 
industrial and commercial applied as adjectives of occupation, business or 
enterprise. He found that lawyers for Innervisions "pointed out, in 
relation to occupation, that it cannot have been intended to prevent paid 
housekeepers or paid nannies from helping out in the households of the 34 
houses on Dunbar Street.

"I agree that that must be so. The fact that the appellant society has 
three paid workers does not, through their payment, in my opinion, or 
through the nature of their occupation, become an industrial or commercial 
occupation_"

Last November, three Supreme Court justices found in favour of the appeal, 
giving Weselowski the green light to open the doors to Hannah House.

"I'm really grateful, and I felt quite vindicated," he said about the 
appeal outcome. "I think the neighbours reacted a bit quickly and got a bit 
out of control.

"But now we can keep going. There are 100 women over the next year who are 
going to have a chance because of this," he said.

Innervisions had already put in over $200,000 worth of renovations to the 
house, so it would suit the use. "It's one of the most marquee houses in 
the area."

He said Innervisions has received an operating grant from Human Resources 
Development Canada, and will start with new clients the beginning of February.

Weselowski was extremely moved by the concern from community groups that 
the project go through.

"It's been phenomenal, that we get such a response from Rotary of Port 
Moody and Coquitlam Sunrise and Maple Ridge. This is the time when I'm most 
proud to be a Rotarian. It moves me to tears, I'm really grateful."
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