Coulee Council on Addictions addresses neighborhood’s treatment center concerns

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — Members of one La Crosse neighborhood are getting the chance to learn more about a proposed drug addiction recovery center.

The Coulee Council on Addictions held an informational meeting Wednesday afternoon for parents and community members to hear more about what the organization does and ask any questions they may have about a proposed recovery center they want to build on a nearby lot at 9th and Ferry Streets.

The lot is just about a block away from Lincoln Middle School, which also houses SOTA II and Coulee Montessori.

As News 8 has previously reported, some who live in the neighborhood have expressed their concerns about the facility.

“One of my biggest concerns was traffic flow of the location, of the building and children walking to and from school, and would they have to walk by those folks and would they be addressed by those folks, things like that,” said Bobbi Goodman, who lives close to the proposed building site.

The Coulee Council on Addictions says those who come to the recovery center will be doing so voluntarily, are bound by a code of ethics and are supervised by staff and volunteers.

Coulee Council board member Tom Thompson says the meetings are a chance to clear up any misconceptions people may have.

“We want folks to know what Coulee Council is all about, what we are, what we aren’t, and then to really get down to the questions, concerns that folks have about us moving closer into the Washburn district,” said Thompson.

If you’re a parent of a child at Lincoln Middle School or live in the neighborhood and missed Wednesday afternoon’s meeting, you have another chance to learn more about the proposal.

A second meeting will be held Thursday night between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Lincoln Middle School.

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