St. Charles councillor remains opposed to addictions treatment centre
'It's a great idea,' says Shawn Dobson, who nonetheless opposes putting it in his ward
St. Charles Coun. Shawn Dobson says he's still opposed to putting an addictions treatment centre in his ward, even though he has been assured it will operate on a non-profit basis.
Dobson, Mayor Brian Bowman and other members of council attended an informal briefing Tuesday about the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre, a 50-bed treatment centre proposed for the site of the old Vimy Arena.
The centre, named after broadcaster Scott Oake's late son, who died of a heroin overdose in 2011, would offer long-term treatment options for men suffering from addiction. The mayor supports transferring city land to the Bruce Oake Memorial Foundation in order to establish the centre, but Dobson has complained he and his constituents have been left in the dark about the plans.
- City too secretive about location of Bruce Oake Recovery Centre, councillor says
- 'Addiction claimed his life': Scott Oake opens up about son's battle with drugs
- 'Fear of something new': Councillor, St. James residents meet to discuss proposed addiction centre
After attending a Tuesday meeting, the councillor said his primary issue with the project has been put to rest.
"The biggest thing I could say was that it was a not-for-profit, and that was the biggest concern for me, of course, for profit changes the whole dynamics of it," Dobson said Tuesday at city hall.
"It's a great idea that Scott Oake is bringing forward here and it would be good for the city, [but] I still have some misgivings of it being in that site because my residents don't want it."
Dobson said he expects a plan to transfer the land to the province and then over to the Oake foundation will come before council in December.
With files from Laura Glowacki and Bartley Kives