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Letter: Lack of empathy for homeless is 'sad'

Methadone clinic located close to homeless shelter to help people with addictions, pharmacy manager writes
3200 Westwood Street
Letter writer disagrees with comments that methadone clinic at 3200 Westwood Street is in the wrong place.

The Editor,

Re: “Methadone Clinic in Wrong Place,” (tricitynews.com, July 26).

I would like to respond to this article as I believe there has been a dark light shed over my pharmacy and my neighbour, the medical clinic. Both the pharmacy (opened in 2016) and the medical clinic (opened in 2017) were established to meet a need in the Tri-Cities; a treatment centre for mental health and addictions.

The location (3200 Westwood St.) was chosen knowing that the service is needed for those residing across the street at the homeless shelter. Contrary to this statement in the article “but Manolopoulos believes it’s the clinic, not nearby residents of a homeless shelter or other people, causing problems because issues only arose when walk-in clinic service for methadone and Suboxone treatment were added,” the clinic is not the problem. 

There have been a number of complaints regarding the homeless shelter since it opened in 2015, including in multiple Tri-City News articles and city of Coquitlam council minutes. In fact, according to a Tri-City News article written April 4, 2018 (a year after the medical clinic opened), it was reported that complaints about the shelter had dropped: “But according to a staff report, negative impacts are felt most significantly by a small number of businesses and residents closest to the shelter; overall community complaints have dropped from a high of 84 in 2016 to 38 in 2017, with 11 so far this year. There are also fewer drug-related concerns: 16 in 2017 compared to 24 in 2016 and five so far this year. 

Other concerns in ranked order are: 

• unauthorized presence, 20 complaints in in 2016 and seven last year; 

• misconduct, 21 complaints in 2016 compared to 10 last year; 

• criminal conduct, 13 complaints in 2016 compared to three in 2017; 

• and littering, six complaints in 2016 and two last year.” 

That would suggest to me that we are making a difference in the community, not creating a problem.

With regards to Mr. Manolopoulos' safety measures, I will point out that we at the pharmacy contacted the property manager to have to outlets outside turned off to prevent loitering by clientele. We are also very respectful of our business neighbours and the tenants above us. We have asked people to smoke on the other side of the parking lot (along with the business employees), we have requested they watch their language when outside out of respect for the children at the daycare. We have not had any backlash. Everyone has been apologetic and co-operative.   

It saddens me the lack of empathy people have for the homeless. We at the pharmacy and the medical clinic have taken the time to get to know our patients — we have heard their stories, seen pictures of their children. Amazing people. We have watched them remake lives for themselves. And we have watched them fall. Heroin is a demon that speaks loud to the user.

Perhaps if Mr. Manolopoulos had attended the presentation put on by the Chamber of Commerce April 10, Homelessness in the Tri-Cities: A Primer for Business, he might have a better insight into the issue and be a little more tolerant. 

Ingrid Breuer, Pharmacy Manager, Synergy Wellness and Pharmacy