Crestview residents lose last-ditch effort to stop Bruce Oake Recovery Centre
Construction of Winnipeg addictions recovery centre could begin this August
A quartet of city councillors has quashed a last-ditch effort to prevent an addictions-treatment centre from operating in a western Winnipeg residential neighbourhood.
City council's appeals committee voted Thursday to reject an appeal launched against a city council decision to make land-use changes that pave the way for the Bruce Oake Memorial Centre.
- Councillors OK sale of Vimy Arena for $1 to create Bruce Oake Recovery Centre
- Addictions-treatment centre clears first hurdle at city hall
- Appeal hearing scheduled for Bruce Oake addictions-treatment centre
The 50-bed treatment centre is expected to rise on the site of the decommissioned Vimy Arena on Hamilton Avenue, in the Crestview neighbourhood in St. Charles.
City council approved the land-use changes in January. About 170 people appealed the decision, arguing the non-profit treatment centre would not be compatible with Crestview, would bring criminals into the the neighbourhood and could reduce property values.
About a dozen of the appellants, including MLA Steven Fletcher, appeared Thursday to plead their case before Couns. Ross Eadie (Mynarksi), John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry), Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) and Vivian Santos (Point Douglas), all of whom had voted in favour of the treatment centre before.
Broadcaster Scott Oake, who lost his son Bruce to an overdose in 2011, also addressed the committee, stating the men who will seek treatment at the centre will be those recovering from addictions, and who are not using drugs for non-medical purposes.
Oake appeared along with supporters that included St. Boniface Coun. Matt Allard, who presented the committee with a 13,000-name petition in favour of the treatment centre.
Oake said the Bruce Oake Memorial Foundation must now raise $10 million to build the treatment centre. He said he hopes to get shovels in the ground in August and complete construction within 10 to 12 months.
Opponents of the centre have one more option at their disposal if they wish to continue to oppose the land-use changes — an argument before Manitoba's Court of Queen's Bench.
