‘Let’s get off the pot here and let’s just do it,’ says Coun. Dan McLean, pushing for city council to ask the province to shut down the Calgary drug consumption site
After years of waiting, it really is time and there is no better time than now.
Dan McLean, the councillor leading the charge to deep-six Calgary’s drug site, is expected to speak with Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek Tuesday.
McLean considers getting rid of the drug site a matter of urgent business, as do all those who know a dumpster fire when they see one.
McLean wants the drug site shutdown idea put on the agenda of a Gondek-led city council committee Wednesday.
Jump through that hoop and a debate on closing down the drug site goes to city council.
McLean is hoping Gondek agrees a debate on the drug site is urgent business.
In fact, he thinks Gondek had better agree.
“The mayor is on record saying she wants it closed. The province wants it closed. The neighbourhood wants it closed. I want it closed,” says McLean.
“Let’s get off the pot here and let’s just do it.”
Last week, in this column, the provincial government provided “new information” on dealing with the drug site.
For six years, the drug site has been a Nenshi nightmare.
The former mayor pushed for the site and it’s been a massive pain in the butt in a neighbourhood where a lot of people live and a lot of small businesses operate and they are all well past fed up.
They don’t need the ugly crime stats to prove their point. They don’t need another group to study the issue. This isn’t rocket science. The gong show is there for all to see.
McLean says what must happen now is pretty simple, even for those on city council who often like to complicate matters.
Ask the Smith government to shut down the drug site.
Then the centre will be shut down and, in its place, will be more opportunities for detox, for getting off drugs and staying off drugs, and yes, immediate help for those overdosing.
Some, like Gondek, think the drug site at the Chumir is not a good idea but she wants more drug sites.
This is an unusual twist to the usual story since Calgary city council often complains the Smith government doesn’t ask the city what they want and doesn’t act on their requests.
On this drug site removal, they will.
“Can’t we just maybe try to work with the provincial government instead of arguing with them and not getting along. Let’s not pick yet another fight with the province. Here is where they want to work with us. What’s the problem here?” asks McLean.
Gondek also says a vote on asking the province to shut down the site is “awfully redundant.”
McLean fires back at the mayor.
“What are you afraid of? If it’s redundant what’s one more quick little vote and let’s get it done.”
Yes, there are expected to be councillors who want more sites. But there is the obvious problem.
Nobody wants one.
None of the councillors who are so gung-ho for drug sites are volunteering a drug site go in their neck of the woods, in their ward.
Of course not, just throw them in an inner city they are claiming they want to revitalize.
Then there’s the most important question of whether McLean has eight votes on city council, including himself, to ask the Smith government to make the drug site go away.
Eight votes is a win.
He’s already talked to councillors.
The man, who usually finds himself on the short end of the stick at city council, believes there are eight votes.
It’s hard to believe after all these years when few in authority really listened to the people of Calgary’s Beltline.
“Just on common sense we have eight votes. Just on an agreement this is the right thing to do, we have the eight votes.”
McLean thinks this time it will end well unless the city council majority decides to get political, to get ideological.
Like that’s never happened at this city hall.