LEAD STORY: Rehab centre 'good neighbour'

JANELLE KIRKLAND
While Hastings residents want to keep a drug and alcohol rehab centre out of their neighbourhood, Napier residents are asking to keep it in theirs.
People recovering at the Springhill Addiction Centre, have proven to be ``perfect neighbours', says Anne Marsh, who has lived two doors down from Springhill Addiction Centre for 25 years.
And she wants it to stay where it is.
``These are people who want to heal. They are good people,' she said at a meeting at Cornwall Park cricket pavilion last night.
``We don't really notice they are there.'
Her sentiments were reiterated by fellow neighbours Wayne and Colleen van der Meer.
She was speaking to 100 people about the Hawke's Bay District Health Board plans to relocate the facility from Morris St, Napier, to an old rest home on Tomoana Road in Mahora, Hastings. The current building has been deemed too dilapidated.
The van der Meers said the facility had a reputation as one of the best in New Zealand.
However, it would be a different situation at the Tomoana Rd site which was ``not therapeutic', Mrs Marsh said.
``You will notice they are there because of the way the premises are situated,' with a lack of suitable grounds, she said.
Her concerns were echoed by residents.
Resident Kevin Brown, who chaired the meeting, said the proposed Tomoana Road facility was a ``dogbox' that could only fit a bed and dresser, lacked self-catering facilities or recreation areas, social dormitory environments and was situated far closer to residents than the current facility.
Residents also expressed concern at the proximity of the proposed facility to their houses, Cornwall Park which is frequented by families, potential disturbance to the neighbourhood, and whether it was even suitable as a therapeutic environment.
Housing values were not the main issue, Mr Brown said.
However it was ``not a good environment' with elderly care homes, schools and preschools nearby, and families frequenting the park.
Residents also suggested facility clients would be tempted by drug dealing which they believed was common at the park.
The secretary of a Mahora playcentre, Rachel Stevenson, said addictive behaviour did not belong in a park frequented by families and young children.
Mahora resident Nigel Field said objections should be based on fact and advice from clinicians, not fear of ``alcoholics and drunks'.
Rowan McNab, who lived right next door, said the site was noisy as a rest home and was likely to be noisier as a rehabilitation centre due to traffic.
Residents were provided submission forms and encouraged to submit to the Hastings District Council, which is considering consent for the new facility under the Resource Management Act.
Submissions close on Friday, June 5, at 4.30pm. It would then go to a committee hearing.
A former chairman of the trust that owns the building, Neil Kirton, said earlier the building ``ticked all the boxes' and the current site, over 100 years old, was unlikely to achieve its WOF this year.
The DHB was not invited to the meeting.