Pubdate: Sat, 21 May 2005 Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Copyright: 2005 Times Colonist Contact: http://www.canada.com/victoria/timescolonist/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481 Author: Malcolm Curtis Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Safe Injecting Rooms) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange) NORTH PARK COMMUNITY LEADER BACKS INJECTION SITE The president of Victoria's North Park Neighbourhood Association has added his voice of support for a supervised drug injection site for addicts. "I think we have to go that route," Dave Brocklesby said. While the city has taken action to discourage open drug use in such areas as Royal Athletic and Central parks, this has pushed the problem onto private property, Brocklesby said. "There's still a fair bit of drug use around here . . . and a lot of break-ins related to this," he said. "For the most part they (drug addicts) are just looking for a quiet place to inject." Problems multiply when they start to leave their drug "paraphernalia" behind and use private gardens as public washrooms, he said. Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe and regional health officer Dr. Richard Stanwick recently returned from viewing similar facilities in Europe. Brocklesby said the issue will be discussed along with other aspects of the Victoria Urban Development Agreement at the association's annual general meeting. The meeting is scheduled for June 14 at 7 p.m. at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. "I'm hoping it will make a big difference for us," said Brockelsby of the development agreement, a deal between the city, the province and the federal government that could help fund a drug injection site among other projects. Some residential areas of North Park are feeling the impact of drug users, he said, particularly the Balmoral Road area near the needle exchange, run by AIDS Vancouver Island, at the corner of Blanshard and Cormorant streets. AIDS Vancouver Island has long been on record as in support of safe drug injection sites, said Miki Hansen, executive director of the organization. She said such a facility would provide a "safe environment" for addicts while allowing them to make connections to help them deal with their medical problem. "I think Victorians have been very thoughtful about this issue . . . I think this community cares about citizens who are struggling." Brocklesby agreed general support is there. However, location of the site may be problematic because many residents might not want to see it on their street. - --- MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman