Not in My Backyard

We have a fight brewing in a neighbourhood close to our place. It is a fight that is totally unnecessary.  There is an abandoned hockey arena that a group wants to turn into an addictions treatment facility. Opposing this great endeavour is the area councillor who has inflamed and created fear in the residents for all the wrong reasons.

An addictions treatment facility is very much needed. Treatment centres create positive lifestyle change and alternate perspectives and they work. People do get healed and are able to resume their lives or restart their lives.

It is shameful that this elected official felt the need to incite residents with misinformation and untruths. What is his motive, his gain. Civic elections are next year and he will not get my vote.

I can't imagine what it is like to have an addiction and when someone makes insensitive remarks about people with addictions is disrespectful and disgraceful.

Everyone has a story to tell. We need to be sensitive and allow the stories to be heard. What if a member of his circle was dealing with addiction, would his tune change. I bet it would. You see it is easy to say not in my backyard. It is harder to accept and embrace and it is far more rewarding.

I stand in favour of this facility in my backyard and hope to see it come to fruition. I called the councillor and left him a message indicating what an asset this facility would be for the community and encouraged him to rethink his opposition to this project.

The real issue is whether it is a treatment facility or something else, people will always say not in my backyard. We are resistant to change, we like our homeostasis. Progress and change are inevitable. Do we want to be moving forward or standing still. I prefer to move forward positively.