By Stu Salkeld, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Bashaw town council turned down a request from an addictions treatment program to reconsider its denied application to operate a new program at a retreat centre in town. T

he decision was made at the July 22 regular meeting of council.

Town Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Theresa Fuller presented councillors with an application for a business development permit for the Bashaw Retreat Centre located at 5340 51A Street to accommodate a family addictions treatment program to be operated by an organization called Young Spirit Winds from Maskwacis. 

A presentation made at a June council meeting by applicant James Carpenter stated Young Spirit Winds operates a program for First Nations youth dealing with addictions, and Young Spirit Winds wanted to host a new program at the Bashaw Retreat Centre that includes the youth and their families.

Young Spirit Winds organization describes itself on its Facebook page as, “We are a First Nations Youth Treatment Facility designed to assist First Nations youth ages 12-17 with drug & alcohol addictions, Grief & Loss, anger mngmt.”

Fuller reminded them the application had to come to council originally because the retreat centre is in a “direct control” (DC) zone, meaning council directly approves zoning changes and the retreat was not currently being used as a treatment centre.

The application for a development permit was defeated by council’s vote at the July 8 council meeting, and Fuller noted, normally, development applications of this kind won’t be accepted again for six months unless the application has substantially changed.

This item is reprinted with permission from the East Central Alberta Review. For the complete article, click HERE

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