A team of recovering addicts cut down the veils hiding the drug trafficking going on at the Ranch Motel - a place some of them used to frequent themselves.
For the past 14 years, DART (Drug Awareness Recovery Team) has been a small not-for-profit business putting newly recovered drug and alcohol addicts to work tending lawns, gardens, trails and landscape during the summer, snow clearing in winter. They make a regular wage for their 150-odd contracts throughout the city, including sprucing up some municipal properties. But on Friday, they worked for free on one of the biggest jobs they had ever faced.
"We are showing our guys the gift of good service," said Chris Falconer, who was 12 years addicted to crystal methamphetamine and other poisons, but has been clean for the past three and is now a foreman with DART. "In serving one another we become free."
He said no one in the DART family was ordered to join the guerilla facelift of the Ranch Motel grounds, and some had to bow out for reasons of mental triggering - the place was too closely associated to their visceral memories of using drugs - but there was no shortage of volunteers. Some, like Todd Burnett, knew exactly where the saws and whipper snippers should go first at the crime infested motel on Victoria Street.
"Todd has been clean for a little while now, but he had a slip-up, and when I went to find him, the first place I looked was here," said Falconer.
"I was a little nervous coming here, but I knew Chris had my back and my wife prayed with me this morning and she's a big support, and I've got to say, I was really excited to do this job," he said. "I was pumped. I hope some of the others [drug addicts who frequent some of the motel's rooms] recognize me and maybe there's a spark of realization there for them that there is a better life out there."
The crew encountered some resistance, upon arrival. The law-abiding residents of the motel were pleased to see the unruly grass, weeds and brambly trees getting a significant trim, but those who make their money in dark corners didn't like the sound of saws at 8 a.m.
First, the DART crew of about 10 people had to scrounge the underbrush for needles and other drug paraphernalia before safely, carefully plunging into the heavy labour.
"We [at DART] don't want the drug trade to be in this town, either," said company manager Tanya Witso, who got the cleanup idea when she read about the Ranch Motel's plight in a Citizen story this past week. "It's a thorn in our side, a battle, and we have the tools and the people who can do something about it."
Motel manager Bryan Hall invited the cleanup with open arms, as did at least one neighbour, Jack, who was initially concerned about the trimming until he saw just how drastic the cleanup was.
"It's looking great - nowhere to hide, now," he said. "This place had really gotten bad, especially lately, so maybe the whole place will get cleaned up."
Starting the process and giving the lone manager a leg up on that effort was most pleasing to the crew.
"Being an addict is such a terrible waste of good talent," said Falconer. "Everyone on this crew is talented, and the addicts [at the motel] are talented, too, and we can do something with our talents to help them. We're discouraging that life with our service."
Anyone needing yard work or landscaping done can hire DART by calling 250-563-6311.
