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Public hearing set for Sylvan Lake addiction recovery treatment centre

Proposed recovery centre would have space for 12 women and children
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A public hearing will be held by Lacombe County for a contentious recovery centre for women near a summer village on the east side of Sylvan Lake.

The Lakeside Recovery Centre would be set up by Adeara in a 10,000-square-foot building formerly used as a conference centre and church and converted into an addiction treatment for up to 12 women. It is to be located on an 80-acre site just east of the Summer Village of Birchcliff.

Adeara runs an accredited addiction recovery centre for women and their children in Edmonton. The organization provides long-term, research and faith-based programming to women in need in a residential setting. Adeara says it is the only accredited recovery program where children can join their mother as she frees herself from addiction.

The organization wants to use the existing home on the site as a residence for up to 12 women who will be part of a 90-day program. Most of the women who arrive have lost guardianship of their children and those first three months provide time to have their children returned to them.

After completing the 90-day program the women may return to Edmonton or Calgary for further treatment.

County council approved first reading of the bylaw amendment on Thursday and set Oct. 13 for a public hearing and second reading.

A public open house on the project in February drew 120 people, some of whom were opposed to the project. Of the 36 people who completed an Adeara survey, 26 were against, and the project prompted a 33-name petition opposed to it.

The most common concerns were the possible impact on nearby property values, public safety, possible increase in crime and the potential of future expansion to include other special care facilities and services.

Adeara reassured residents that the facility would be well supervised with video surveillance and other security measures. Hidden from the roadway and unsigned, the facility would be unobtrusive and not affect property values. No further expansion would be possible in its current application. To build further would require an area structure plan, other studies and involve a comprehensive public consultation and planning approval process.

To address concerns, Adeara proposed that council adopt a specific zoning definition for Lakeside, which will not allow for any detoxification activities at the facility. The definition also makes it clear that the facility is for overnight or short-term accommodation and will not include a detention or correction centre.

County senior planner Cajun Paradis assured council detoxification would not be allowed under the proposed changes to the Land Use Bylaw.

“The detoxification step in their program will happen before they come to this site,” said Paradis.

Concerned Birchcliff officials commissioned a study of the impact of the proposed facility on property values. The study said the project as proposed would have little impact on the surrounding area or property values.

However, Birchcliff residents also asked consultants to assess the impact should the property be developed for up to 80 residential units to house recovery graduates, although the summer village acknowledged Adeara has said it has no imminent plans to expand beyond the recovery centre. Consultants said that likely a development of that sort would also have little impact on Birchliff.

The project is a partnership with the PAR (People at Risk) Foundation, which bought the property after its owner Maureen Ranaghan died in 2019. PAR is fundraising towards the $2.5 million purchase cost.



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