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Owner compares methadone clinic to doctor's office 13 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, September 23, 2009 Continued from page 1 methadone treatment clinic coming to Kerr Street as a `fait accompli.' It set Kerr Street back two years in terms of raising itself above that." Kowalchuk said when he moved to Oakville in the late 1970s, Kerr Street was one of the worst parts of Oakville and it was only through excruciating hard work that the community was transformed into the revitalized business hub it is today. The arrival of a methadone clinic can only damage this progress, said Kowalchuk. "It's in the wrong location. It's on the main street of a revitalized business district that for years has been the dumping ground for social services in this town. It's next to a licenced establishment, next to a store that sells marijuana paraphernalia and up from the Beer Store," said Kowalchuk. "When my daughter goes down to catch the bus at 8 a.m. there may be people lining up before it (the clinic) opens." Kowalchuk is also unhappy about the way he said he was blindsided by the clinic's impending arrival, which was preceded by no community consultation. Kowalchuk said some only found out the clinic was coming when they read about it in the paper while others did not find out until even later. At the end of the day, Kowalchuk and the other area residents' association leaders would "This is no different than having a doctor's office open up. The bottom line is we're here to help people with their addictions. We're here to promote and encourage treatment." George Benakopoulos, Kerr Street MMT centre owner like to see community consultations established to examine the possibility of moving the clinic to a more suitable location. "Just because the gentleman who wants to open it found a willing landlord doesn't mean that's the best place," said Kowalchuk. "There's got to be somewhere better." Kowalchuk did not object to the idea of the clinic being repositioned somewhere else within the immediate neighbourhood. George Benakopoulos, the owner of the Kerr Street MMT Centre, however, noted that the location of the clinic is ideal given the needs of its clientele. "Kerr Street wasn't picked because I'm trying to single-handedly wreck the progress made at Kerr Street," said Benakopoulos. "The decision was made strictly in consultation with a physician and was made because it offered good accessibility for patients. It's on a good bus route and it can be accessed easily by a car as well. Also the rent was the best." Benakopoulos said easy access to the clinic encourages patients to stick with their treatment. He said the majority of the feedback he has received about the clinic to date has been positive, with several residents dropping by the Kerr Street location and telling him to essentially `hang in there.' Benakopoulos continues to be mystified by the problem some people have with what he is doing. "This is no different than having a doctor's office open up. The bottom line is we're here to help people with their addictions. We're here to promote and encourage treatment," said Benakopoulos. "We're here to get people's lives back on track. These are patients at the end of the day, they're people and they shouldn't be treated differently from anybody else." Kowalchuk said it is easy for Benakopoulos and others to be noble about the clinic, especially when they don't have businesses or homes in the immediate area. Although the WRRA is in consultation with both the Town and the Halton Region's Health Department about this issue, because the clinic is privately owned their options are limited. In a written statement to The Oakville Beaver, Ward 2 Councillor Cathy Duddeck noted that the Town is not responsible for the licencing of MMT Centres, with that duty falling under the jurisdiction of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. Duddeck said the only process the Town goes through with these types of clinics is through an occupancy permit or a building permit application. "To obtain an occupancy permit, the applicant much comply with the zoning -- in this case the Town staff have advised that this does comply with the zoning," said Duddeck. "According to Building staff, no building permit has been applied for on this site." A building permit would be required if the owner intended to make any structural changes to the building. On the issue of the clinic itself, Duddeck said the concerns of the public are perfectly understandable. "The Kerr community has undergone considerable advancements in revitalizing the area through the combined hard work of the residents, the Kerr BIA, etc. They have never been a NIMBY "not in my backyard" community and I take exception with any such portrayal of this caring community," said Duddeck. "The community has legitimate concerns and questions that as yet have gone unanswered -- information has not been forthcoming and as a result there is conflicting information being circulated." Kowalchuk noted there is no shortage of interest surrounding the clinic issue with residents' groups still trying to formulate a strategy to prevent it from opening at its Kerr Street location.