Treatment centre opposed in RM of Springfield

A proposal to build a $15-million native-run addiction treatment center in proximity to Tinkertown and an RV park near the Trans-Canada Highway just east of Winnipeg, is drawing opposition.

At a vote last April, the reeve and councillors for the Rural Municipality of Springfield voted unanimously to support a plan by the Native Addictions Council of Manitoba to build a new 50,000 square foot, $15-million facility near Fun Mountain, Tinkertown and Travellers RV east of the city.

The Native Addictions Council has run a 22-bed facility, Pritchard House, in the core area of Winnipeg since 1972.

But the owners ofthe children's amusement park and nearby RV park worry the new neighbourcould damage their businesses.

Lawrence Kiernicki owns Tinkertown and said he is concerned having drug and alcohol addicts nearby will hurt business. "We have a very short season," he said. "We're not government funded. This is privately owned and if it should affect our revenues I don't think anyone's going to come to help us." Kiernicki and others plan to take their concerns to a public meeting next Monday.

Jeannie Klassen, who owns Travellers RV, a campground next to Tinkertown and Fun Mountain water park, has started a petition against the plan.

She said a treatment centre doesn't suit the area and she will take the petition to the meeting next Monday. "What's coming in is kind of not appropriate for children," she said.

Springfield Councillor Karen Lalonde says she's heard from almost a dozen residents and business owners opposed to the proposed treatment center, which requires a zoning variance to go ahead.

"As councillors you want to listen to your taxpayers who've been there a significant amount of time and paid their taxes every year," she said. "You know, I would say the possibility of it going through is probably slim."