Linden Woods residents raise concerns over planned rehabilitation home

Some residents in Linden Woods are expressing their frustration over concerns they say are not being taken seriously over a conditional use permit being granted to a home within a residential street in the area to turn it into a rehabilitation home.

“It’s not, ‘Not in our neighbourhood.’ It’s not made for our neighbourhood. They need to be put in an area where they are not near schools. Why isn’t the city’s clerk’s office making residents known about this,” said Greg Braun, an area resident.

The home will be run by Regenesis Centre for Recovery and according to its executive director Cindy Foster will serve 2SLGBTQ+ women and non-binary people.

CityNews is not identifying the specific home over concerns that it could put those who are escaping instances of domestic violence and who are set to use it in potential danger.

“It will be the first of its kind in all of Canada to offer these specific services in a live-in setting,” said Foster.

But some residents in the area say while they are not against those suffering from addictions or addiction treatment, they say the planned rehabilitation home is misplaced.

A petition has been started raising concerns about it and so far, has over 800 signatures as of Tuesday evening.

“Overall my largest concern is the fact that it is not the right area to setup these people for success, they are very much far removed from a lot of the amenities that the city has to offer. We are very far away from a hospital; the closest hospital is Victoria General,” said Katie Hutfluss, one of the petition’s organizers and an area resident.

Georgina Berry, another nearby resident added, “There’s a school within walking distance, there’s a playground and a park, the opposite way of that there’s a park that is extremely close to where this house is.”

Foster says while she understands some of the concerns of the residents, it’s also important for those who are dealing with addictions to have a safe place to recover.

“People who use substances and struggle with addiction exists in every single community and every single neighbourhood. Segregating those who are seeking treatment to specific areas of the city, it only increases the stigma related to addiction,” said Foster.

Area councillor John Orlikow says he’s been hearing from residents who are offering differing opinions, from being against the rehabilitation home being in the community, to wanting more information, to being in support of it.

“I think we all know in the City of Winnipeg that places like this are important. We have a huge issue, and we all have to be apart of it, we can’t just put it in one area of town and walk away, we have to contribute. The question is, is that the right spot? I think that’s a fair question,” said Orlikow.

The City of Winnipeg says residents can file an appeal against the conditional use of the home till Wednesday, with an appeal hearing expected in the coming months.