A therapeutic recovery community that aims to help those struggling with addictions will open this fall in View Royal.
Earlier this week, the program passed its final hurdle when the Town of View Royal unanimously approved a rezoning application for the facility at 94 Talcott Rd. The decision came after the province announced it would provide $4.7 million in funding to Our Place Society for the program last month.
RELATED: Choices in View Royal eyed for new therapeutic recovery community
“We’re thrilled and so grateful to the community of View Royal for supporting this initiative and we look forward to implementing this extremely important program into our region,” said Our Place executive director Don Evans, adding the society did a lot of community consultation so residents understood what the program is about.
“People understand it, they see the benefits of it, they see that there’s a real challenge in our community with people struggling with addiction that are homeless, and that our existing system isn’t working that well for these individuals, and here’s something that will.”
Mayor David Screech said council recognized the need for this type of program in the Capital Region.
“We really need a facility like what they’re offering,” he said, noting the support from the community was clear during the public hearing and the more than a dozen correspondence council received in favour. “It’s something that is needed right across the region so we supported it.”
Once the rezoning goes through a final reading on July 3, Our Place will begin capital upgrades that will continue throughout the summer on the former Choices Transitional Shelter.
Upgrades include replacing the flooring, putting in proper bathroom fixtures and a greenhouse, and replacing furniture.
RELATED: Province gives green light to therapeutic recovery community in View Royal
The goal of the therapeutic recovery community is to end the cycle of addiction, homelessness and criminality. As part of the program, residents would come to the peer-led program through the court system or following a detox program, and would stay at the facility for a two-year period, where they would focus on sobriety and recovering from their addictions.
The program would start with roughly 15 individuals and can house a maximum of 50.
There will be no drug and alcohol use allowed on the property and individuals will not be free to come and go as they wish.
In the end, the hope is that every individual who graduates from the program will be in control of their addiction, have a place to live, a job and the life skills necessary to live in the wider community.
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