“It has absolutely been a challenge.”Bam Wilson, who attended a rally of roughly 40 people outside Hamilton’s store on Saturday, said local business owners told him they’re concerned about a loss of income.“Within three blocks, we’ve seen a lot of needle debris … people buying, shooting up, I’ve heard people say they saw people having sex,” he said. As you may have heard, our last day of operations is on August 31Our operational funding ends on that day and will affect the following programs under the ARCHES banner:We await further information regarding transition planning for these services in Lethbridge.Please know that we are working diligently with Alberta Health to ensure that our client services are transitioned; questions or concerns are to be directed to Alberta Health.ARCHES provides compassionate, responsible, confidential, and non-judgmental support to clients, families, and loved ones.ARCHES facilitates the empowerment of clients to define their own needs with regard to their care.ARCHES promotes positive education strategies to inform the public about HIV / AIDS and Hepatitis C and encourages public understanding of persons with HIV / AIDS and Hepatitis C.ARCHES (403) 328-8186 1016 1st Ave South Lethbridge We await further information regarding transition planning for these services in Lethbridge.
Social disorder accompanying a supervised drug site in Lethbridge has the business community concerned about the viability of that city’s downtown core.Douglas Hamilton, owner of Hamilton’s Carpet One, said in a Facebook post while he supports the concept of harm reduction and isn’t opposed to supervised consumption sites, he has installed cameras to monitor activity.“My first concern, therefore, has been to protect my business,” Hamilton wrote. The SCS is one aspect of our communal response to that crisis (but) other things need to be done.”Hamilton did not immediately respond to interview requests from Postmedia.Hamilton’s video, live-streamed on YouTube, led the executive director of ARCHES Lethbridge, where the consumption site is located, to raise concern over the impact it has had on their clients.“We’ve had a lot of very emotional participants in our facility in the last few weeks expressing concern over their lack of anonymity and ability to be anonymous coming (and) going from the medical service that is being provided to them by ARCHES,” said Stacey Bourque. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. Stacey Bourque Human Resources Coordinator at Lethbridge Family Services - DaCapo Program Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada 42 connections LETHBRIDGE, AB – The information released by Lethbridge Police at the Wednesday evening Police Commission Meeting is not necessarily a complete picture of what’s going on, according to SCS Executive Director Stacey Bourque and Mayor Chris Spearman. Please know that we are working diligently with Alberta Health to ensure that our client services are transitioned; questions or concerns are to be directed to Alberta Health.
“A lot of business owners are losing business revenues.”While Hamilton wrote ARCHES should be taking more steps to reduce its impact on the surrounding area, Bourque highlighted three ARCHES initiatives to help minimize the impact, which include security patrols and a partnership with a local group to help clean the area around the consumption site.“We implemented 24-hour security within a 60-metre radius around the facility for all businesses.“The COAP (Community Outreach Addictions Program) team (operates) within a 250-metre radius,” she said.ARCHES also holds a neighbourhood meeting on the first Thursday every month, Bourque said, during which local businesses concerns are heard and resolutions are discussed.Lethbridge city councillor Ryan Parker said it’s most important to focus on the kind of activities happening around the consumption site.“A lot of people who want to have it open had good intentions of saving lives and helping those who are vulnerable, but at the same time I think there’s been a lot of negative impact to the surrounding neighbourhood that wasn’t expected,” he said, noting the city isn’t the operator of the site.
“I’m getting a lot of calls and emails that are negative in regards to safe consumption sites.“I think no matter where you put a facility such as this, you’re always going to have pushback. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited.This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.As downtown Lethbridge safe consumption site works to minimize impact, business owners rally over concernsThe ARCHES Lethbridge facility is seen in this 2017 file photo.
“Our issue is absolutely not anything going on local business owners property, or illegal activity being filmed … but those things that are happening are deterring people from accessing our services, which is dangerous.”The ARCHES facility doesn’t just operate the consumption site, as they have 16 other programs ranging from education, prevention, and other outreach and social services.ARCHES, which has been operating the site for a year and a half, has seen a staggering number of clients at their facility, Bourque said, as roughly 675 users access the facility every day in Lethbridge, a city of just over 100,000.That’s a stark comparison to the 142 visits per day Calgary’s Sheldon Chumir safe consumption site has seen from Oct. 30, 2017, through May 2019.Bourque fears that without the consumption site, the roughly 21,000 clients who visit the site could be forced back out onto the streets.Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Calgary Herald, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.A welcome email is on its way.