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THE VOILE OF MOR

October 16, 1987 News 985-2

69

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ONDO: sits amongst 33: of ‘th 63 tedd ears the North Shor
: in. the church’s Memorial Hall at 13th aud Chesterfield, va feature: a ot and bake ‘e sale, I Devonshire tea wilt raffle

UPPER LONSDALE residents crammed into North Van-
couver City Hall chambers Tuesday night to convince
council to oppose the licensing of a group home for mental-
ly il! adults in their neighborhood.

And although council was
swayed by their arguments, the
battle is not over yet.

Convinced by a series of delega-
tions that the group home would
be incompatible with the
neighborhood, and desiring to
follow their bylaw concerning
group homes, council voted 5-1 to
advise the North Shore Health
Department that it does not con-
sider the site to be a suitable loca-
tion.

But council’s decision can not
prevent the project from_ pro-
ceeding. Social planner Jill David-

By KAREN GRAM
Contributing Writer

son explained in her report to
council that although council’s
opinions will be considered, the
North Shore Health Department
and a provincially appointed licen-
sing board make final approval of
group homes with less than 10
people.

“As long as the dwelling meets
municipal fire and health regula-
tions, the (Provincial Care Facili-
ties Licensing) Board and the

ee

Ministry of Health may make their
decisions independent of city
council,’’ Davidson said.

Owner/operator Lydia Jaworsky
said she has ‘‘no idea’’ what her
next step will be. She said she
strongly objected to comments
some neighbors had made about
the care she provides, adding she
has worked in the fielu 10 years
and has strong support from
parents of residents in her care.

More than 60 people in six dele-
gations said the facility, which
would house nine chronically ill
mental patients now living in
Riverview Hospital, would serious-
ly affect their neighborhood and
reduce property values.

‘1 believe in cooperating with
the other people on this earth, but
that does not mean living with nine

collectors
meet
PAGE 11

chronically mentally ill people,’
said Bonnie Gosse, next door
neighbor to the proposed facility.
“‘Their sense of reality is definitely
not our sense of reality.”

Gosse said she visited another
group home operated by Jawor-
sky, the applicant for the facility,
and ‘twas very disturbed’' by the
emotional instability she  en-
countered,

“Communication with this type
of facility would not be easy, usual
or pleasant,’* she concluded.

Davidson had recommended
council approve the project slated
for 310 East 26th Street. She said
although the home does not mee?
city bylaws because it is located
less than 1,000 feet as the crow
flies from a similar facility, it is in
a different neighborhood separated

by the Upper Levels Highway.

“T believe the highway provides
both a physical and perceptual
barrier separating these two
neighborhoods. Thus I suggest
locating a residential care facility
(there),’’ said Davidson, adding
there is a severe lack of such facili-
ties on the North Shore.

Harry Watson, a resident living
two houses away, said his main
concern is property value. ‘‘No-
body in his right mind would buy a
house with a group home nearby
and you can’t tell me otherwise,’’
he said.

Davidson’s report to council
quoted a Ministry of Health
publication summarizing 37 studies
on the effects of group homes on