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Clinic concerns neighbouring merchants 19 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, September 4, 2009 Continued from page 8 area of the Kerr Village," said Messer. "I also have some concerns for the clientele of this organization. It is a storefront location and if the clients are coming to this specific location, which is specifically oriented towards an MMT clinic, than their confidentiality is going to be exposed." Messer also expressed concerns for the clinic's future as a similar clinic -- Wellbeings, a pain management and dependency clinic -- is about to be established on Burlington's Plains Road East. Benakopoulos noted the clinic will have rear entrances so clients can enter the building more discreetly if they choose. He said the clinic will not be as big a spectacle as some fear. Methadone, he noted, will only be provided to the patients after they pass a variety of tests to make sure they are not actively using other drugs. For this reason, he said, it is unlikely those who attend will be high on whatever drug they have been taking. Benakopoulos also noted that residents have nothing to fear from the clinic's patients after they have taken methadone. "Methadone does not intoxicate. It does not make the person stoned in any sense. It does not give you any kind of high. It is meant for treatment," said Benakopoulos. "It is no different than going and getting your chemo injection." Nosal concurred with this statement noting that methadone is taken because it helps manage a person's cravings for whatever drug they are addicted to and alleviates their withdrawal symptoms. "It helps them basically achieve stability," said Nosal. Other stores near where the clinic will be established responded to news of its impending arrival with mixed reviews. Moonshine Café owner John Marlatt, whose business is right beside the future MMT Centre, voiced concerns that all the work done by the BIA, council and the police to turn Kerr Street around will be undone just by the perception the MMT Centre will bring to the area. "The perception around is going to be, `Of course they opened it on Kerr Street, where else could they open it? That's what Kerr Street deserves and that's what Kerr Street still is,'" said Marlatt. "They've spent five years getting rid of crack houses and squatters, they've chased most of that type of person out of the area and what this is going to do is bring that element back to the community." Dr. Jawad Tawil, whose dentist office is attached to the building where the clinic will be located, also has concerns about his future neighbour. "No matter how you look at it, it is still called a meth clinic and I think I am going to lose some of my patients because they don't want to be jeopardizing their cars or their safety," said Tawil. "From what I understand this attracts some of the people who are seeking drugs, as well, and this could mean people hanging around waiting for it to open in the morning or hanging out after hours. They might also break into my office thinking there are narcotics in here." Rich Stokes, whose business is nearby, is not concerned about the clinic driving away his customers, but he does hope the clinic will be discreet. Like Messer, Stokes questions the wisdom of setting the clinic up in a storefront building. "I don't think it needs to be on the street," he said. "It should be away from the hustle and bustle." Over at the Themptations-Hemp Goods and Culture store, located across the street from where the clinic will be, Manager Mike Sitaram welcomed news the clinic would be opening. "I think it's a good program. It helps people with heroin addictions. It's good because it should be as easy as possible for people to get help. Making it hard just makes it harder for people to kick the habit," said Sitaram. "The people that do have a problem with this probably don't understand." FINAL CLEAROUT! on BBQ'S & Electric Fireplaces UP TO $1000 OFF* *selected models "MASONRY & FIREPLACE DESIGN SPECIALISTS" 406 SPEERS RD., OAKVILLE ACROSS FROM RONA LANSING 905-337-2066 w w w. c o b b l e s t o n e m b e r s . c a Oakville School is back on September 8th. Bruce Jones Chair of the Board Wayne Joudrie Director of Education Labour Day Residential Waste Collection Notice Please Note Collection Day Changes Mon Sept. 7 Tues 8 Collection moves Please Drive Safely! Alice Anne LeMay Chair of the Board Michael W. Pautler Director of Education Wed 9 Thurs 10 Fri 11 Sat 12 Collection moves 7 a.m. Call www.halton.ca/waste Halton Waste Management Site 905-631-REDO (7336) will be closed Monday, September 7, 2009 Regular Operating Hours visit www.paintitlikenew.com Come see us at Designer Day at West Appleby Paints (Longo's Plaza) on Saturday Sept. 12 online at www.halton.ca/waste 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville, Ontario L6M 3L1 040909 www.oakvillebeaver.com