Nightclub building chosen for supervised consumption site Aug 9, 2017 1:00 PM

LETHBRIDGE — A local harm reduction agency says it will reach out to surrounding businesses to listen to and address concerns, now that a site has been chosen for a supervised drug consumption site in Lethbridge.

On the edge of downtown, the Pulse nightclub building at 1016-1 Ave. S. will become the home of the consumption site, operated by ARCHES, if approval is given by Health Canada. That’s expected in six to eight months, as the federal government works to process applications from across the country.

The site will not only provide a safe place for the consumption of illegal drugs, but access to counselling and medical supports. With a growing opioid crisis, it’s seen as more important than ever, and has the support of the Lethbridge Executive Leaders Coalition on Opioid Use.

“The reality, unfortunately, in Lethbridge is that we’re already seeing really high volumes of calls for drug debris pickups, for responses from fire and EMS,” explained Jill Manning, managing director of ARCHES. “A facility like this helps to solve those issues, because it provides a central location where that’s the specific purpose for that location. We know that petty crime does not go up.”