Quote:
Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus
Right, so belittling those who are now afraid to walk alone in their community or have had to deal with dangerous and frightening encounters (even once) is the way to function as a society now? Sorry, but I don't subscribe to that notion at all.
You decide to open a facility like this in a community, you better be ready to work with all sides to make sure it has the least amount of impact on the community and operates in the most effective manner - for all parties.
The general (and mostly unaffected) population has no right to make residents of these communities feel in the wrong for voicing concerns relating to SIS.
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I've lived in neighbourhoods like this - some of them far worse so put your violin away.
There is nothing wrong with community members seeking to work with the facility, police, and the street-entrenched community to find solutions that help everyone. In fact, that is what often leads to success.
Unfortunately, for a lot of people, those solutions are untenable unless the facility is moved or put under such inconvenient restrictions that it would be impossible for staff to fulfill the facility's mandate.
As reports from both Edmonton and Calgary demonstrate, local impacts are minimal and still remain below historical trends. There may be some increased impact in Calgary within the 250 m zone around the Safe Injection Site, but almost none within the surrounding area.
Lethbridge seems to be facing an entirely different type of problem and I am not equipped with enough information to make any kind of judgement.
But when it comes to Calgary and Edmonton, the complaints are not worth the overall successful impact of the safe injection sites and complaintants would be better off working with city and provincial officials to mitigate impacts.