Until recently I lived in Vancouver, a couple of blocks from a facility built to house people with dual diagnoses: drug or alcohol addiction and mental health issues.
There was a lot of vocal opposition to the construction of that facility before it was built, just as there is now in Parksville to a simple supportive housing project and cold-weather shelter. I was rather surprised, however, after the Vancouver facility opened, to see that it created no perceptible negative effects.
The same marginal people as before were still to be seen in the area. However, their numbers did not increase and nothing else changed. There was no apparent increase in crime or any other social problem. I think that the fears expressed by some people are groundless and the location is a good one.
William Reeve
Parksville
