Direction 180 expansion not popular with some communities

Halifax’s mobile methadone clinic, Direction 180, is starting to expand its coverage to other parts of the city, but residents aren't exactly laying out the welcome mat.

The service launched two years ago to help people in Fairview access the service. The mobile clinic now serves four neighbourhoods, including Spryfield.

Executive director of Direction 180, Cindy MacIsaac, says expanding their coverage has allowed them to cut their waiting lists.

"We've literally eliminated the wait list for treatment. So for folk that have an opiate addiction, they can get treatment within a couple of days of making contact with us,” she said.

MacIsaac says it’s a far cry from the 300 people they had on a waiting list just two years ago.

At precisely 12:05 p.m., each day, the Direction 180 clinic rolls into a Spryfield parking lot. Dozens of people step into the refurbished RV to get their dose of methadone.

Neighbours say they would have liked to have been consulted before the clinic came to town and some are petitioning to push the service out of their community.

Robert Gough has been canvassing his neighbours since May.

"We don't want this,” he said. “There's signatures after signatures here that no one was notified. And I mean I don't condone the clinic but it shouldn't be here in a residential area."

Gough and others believe it would be better suited at the South Centre Mall. Julie Henneberry says that would put the service a few blocks away from homes and a nearby daycare.

"Why should we have to keep the kids inside during that time of day just because they've chosen a corner of a commercial parking lot to rent with residential people around us,” she said.

MacIsaac says she realizes not everyone likes the clinic, but has no plans to stop the visits to Spryfield.

"Initially there's fear about what we're doing and people may not understand the benefits of opiate treatment and how they actually help to reduce crime in communities and how they help improve health,” she explains.

Expansion of the service will continue. Direction 180 is now fundraising to buy a new, state of the art mobile clinic so they can serve even more communities.