The Editor,
Re. "Saving Riverview" (Green Scene, The Tri-City News, May 4).
I share columnist Elaine Golds' concerns that the Riverview Hospital lands' future is in jeopardy for our most vulnerable members of society, those with mental health issues and addictions it was built to serve, along with its priceless therapeutic arboretum and retention of architecturally significant buildings like Crease Clinic.
I fully support retaining the Riverview Hospital lands as an ideal location for proposed major homeless institutions, where programs/treatment for those presenting complex medical health issues would be available while meeting immediate needs for shelter, food and safety, fulfilling the province's mandate to provide professional support, care and shelter for these hard-to-house people in Riverview's lovely, natural setting, set aside many years ago by our forebears for this very purpose.
Cottages at Riverview would be ideal. De-institutionalizing people has proven more effective than stigmatizing people who need our support by grouping large numbers of them together in one building, which is going backwards.
Judy Donaghey, Port Coquitlam
