Plans to bring a treatment and recovery centre to Drayton Valley took a step forward this week. If all goes well the facility could open its doors this summer.
Opportunity Home will offer a 90-day program aimed at providing a safe and clean place for people to go through recovery from addictions and prepare for reintroduction into society. The project is being spearheaded by a group of local business people who saw the need and wanted to do something to help those struggling with substance abuse.
“We aim to put a roof over someone’s head who’s battling addictions,” says the group’s vice president Jennifer Winter. “We want to give them skills and help them assimilate back into society.”
The concept is based on a similar program, known as Freedom’s Door, that has been successfully operating in Kelowna for close to 20 years. It will offer a faith-based program out of a facility to be located 5219, 53 Avenue, close to downtown Drayton Valley. On Wednesday town council unanimously approved a rezoning application for the property. There were no concerns raised at a public hearing prior to the rezoning. RCMP Staff Sgt. Erin Matthews, who was at the meeting to deliver her regular update to council, said she believed that a facility like this would have a positive impact on those in the community who were dealing with addiction.
“I think this is a great opportunity, no pun intended, for Drayton Valley,” she said. “This is definitely something that’s needed.”
Opportunity Home will provide housing and hot meals along with skills training and mental and physiological support to those recovering from addictions.
The aim is for renovations to the building to begin shortly while the group looks for an executive director to oversee the day to day operations, says Art Frey, who has been involved in developing the concept of Opportunity Home and is now focussed on bringing it to reality as the organization’s president.
While the work involved is sometimes daunting, Frey says the group is committed to finding solutions to any challenges that may arise.
“If you help one person out of addiction you’ve been successful,” he says.
Although not all those dealing with addiction are homeless, that group will be the main focus of Opportunity Home once it opens its doors. Frey says the aim is to work hand-in-hand with services such as the Community Mat Program and the Warming Hearts Soup Kitchen to avoid duplication of services and to make sure they are able to reach those who are most in need of assistance.
Clients will be required to be clean and sober before being admitted to Opportunity Home and to remain so while they’re with the program. In exchange they will receive the support and encouragement needed to give them a chance to turn their lives around.
Initially the facility will accommodate about a dozen male clients at a time, with a plan to open to women as things progress.
“Some of them have had very difficult lives with a cycle of abuse and mental illness leading to addictions. They really need help,” says Winter. “We have a group of very keen people who really want to make this happen.”
