Pubdate: Tue, 14 Apr 2009 Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB) Copyright: 2009 Canwest Publishing Inc. Contact: http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/letters.html Website: http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66 Author: Kim Guttormson METHADONE CLINIC THREATENS TO CLOSE DOORS It Can't Afford To Fight City Hall, Lawyer Says The lawyer for a methadone clinic searching for a new home says it will close its doors rather than fight city hall. Hugh Ham, who represents Second Chance Recovery, which has to be out of its northeast industrial location in less than three months, said it's no longer looking for a new site. "There's no point," Ham said. "We're not looking for anything else. It gets closed. They can't afford to fight city hall." However, Alberta Health Services said it has not been notified the clinic has decided to shut down. "We are making contingency plans in the event Second Chance Recovery closes its doors permanently.However, we have not received notice that this will be the case," Barry Andres, with addiction and mental health services, said in an e-mail. Second Chance has 500 clients who receive methadone to treat addiction to opiates such as heroin and morphine. Graham Larking, an OxyContin and morphine addict who receives methadone at a Beltline facility, believes people will die if Second Chance closes. "I sure shed a tear for them," said Larking, who has been on methadone for four months. "I don't know what I'd do if they pulled that rug out." Larking said he's gone from being "borderline suicidal" to "feeling pretty darn good" since starting treatment. Ham said misconceptions are thwarting attempts to relocate the clinic. He said clients receiving methadone are better citizens--they can't get drunk or get high, and are able to maintain employment. Second Chance has to move from its home in Greenview because the industrial area isn't zoned for a medical clinic, and nearby residents complained. The subdivision and development appeal board decided the clinic can stay at 327 41st St. N. E. until the end of June while it finds a new home, with the option of a three-month extension. But Ham said opposition makes finding a new site difficult. A pro-posed Forest Lawn site provoked area Ald. Andre Chabot to object. While the city has given Second Chance a list of locations zoned for a clinic, Ham said "what I really need is a list of those aldermen that would like a methadone clinic in their ward. The moment someone gives me that list, I can do something." Chabot, who said he didn't like the Forest Lawn strip mall location because there is a day care there, questions the motive behind saying the clinic will shut. "I think they're trying to do a little bit of fearmongering,"Chabot said, adding he has suggested a more acceptable location. The Ward 10 alderman said he believes the clinic either doesn't want to continue, is not profitable or"they're using this as a segue for greater acceptance from the public." Ham said if the clinic closes, the program at the Sheldon Chumir Centre, which has 300 clients, will need to create a second shift to handle the influx of new outpatients.He added there is a waiting list to access the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission program. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart