It was standing room only at the Crossfield Community Centre on Aug. 30, as more than 100 residents attended an open house to discuss a proposed rehabilitation centre.
New Life Centres Society’s (NLCS) proposed facility, to be located on the former Rocky View Hutterite colony lands, about 10 kilometres west of Crossfield, will host a maximum of 100 men hoping to overcome their alcohol and drug addictions.
Teen Challenge, an international, Christian faith-based organization, will administer the programming to men, the majority of whom will be between the ages of 18 and 30.
The voluntary program will include a minimum 12-month stay at the proposed facility and participation in the 24-hour, seven-day-per-week Bible and work-based program.
“We are an organization set apart from your typical substance-abuse centre in that we are faith-based,” said George Glover, Teen Challenge national director, adding that most of the Canadian facilities operate in rural areas.
American David Wilkerson founded Teen Challenge, which is 80 per cent funded through private donations, in 1958. The not-for-profit organization, whose graduates have a 70 per cent success rate of living drug and alcohol free five years after leaving the program, has 1,000 centres in 82 countries, including 17 facilities across Canada.
The facility closest to Crossfield is in Priddis and has operated for more than 25 years.
According to Glover, participants in the program have gone through detoxification, and are screened before entering. No court-appointed applicants are admitted to Teen Challenge and participants breaking the rules will be immediately dismissed. Participants are also required to take part in all aspects of the program, including daily church services, classes, counselling sessions and daily work on and offsite.
During the meeting, a number of residents spoke out against the proposed facility, citing concerns such as personal safety, property loss and damage, increased use of roads and lowered property values.
One resident expressed concern about security and supervision for participants in the program.
“My biggest concern is safety… seeing as I have three small children who live next door,” she said.
Another resident asked if owners would be willing to compensate local residents for loss or damage to property.
Crossfield Mayor Nathan Anderson commented that it wasn’t likely the issue would be settled at the meeting.
“I am getting a strong sense that people are uneasy,” he said. “We would love to believe (all your reports), but there is a concern about those outliers.”
Glover said there has never been an incident in which the program’s participants caused violence or damage to property. He added the organization mitigates risk through constant supervision of its participants, and a proactive approach in which participants are dismissed for breaking any rules.
“There are no records from police across the country showing any damage,” said Glover. “There is very little proven risk, there is a great bonus to the community and we are ultra-selective who we take in.
“(Addiction) is a serious disease and it breaks people. We want to be here for the people of Crossfield and area. We will be a resource for parents, physicians and others in the community.”
New Life Centres co-founder Tim Hearn said the facility would be a good addition to the community. He added that alcoholism and drug abuse knows no boundaries.
“It is going to be a big value to the community,” said Hearn, adding that despite concerns, his organization has received a lot of positive feedback about the facility.
Daniel Ryder, 21, graduated from the program about a year ago.
He says participants are kept busy from 6 a.m. to lights out at 10:30 p.m. The day begins and ends with Bible study and is filled with physical work, classes and counselling.
Very little free time is afforded to participants and can be withheld for bad behaviour, said Ryder. He is now interning at a Salvation Army shelter in Vancouver and ministering to the nearby residents of Canada’s poorest postal code, East Hastings Street.
Despite the strictness of the program, Ryder, who was kicked out of his childhood home at the age of 18 after years of drug and alcohol abuse, said his decision to take part was the best he ever made.
Ryder said the program deepened his faith and exposed him to loving community life.
“(The problem) is much deeper than your drug or alcohol addiction,” said Ryder. “You need someone to love you… Teen Challenge will help disciple you. You need that love and nurturing community.”
According to Hearn, the next step will be applying to Rocky View County for land-use redesignation, which will take place this fall.
