Count smaller communities in for “detox centres”
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce has unanimously voted to support the Belleville Chamber in its call for the province to establish so-called detox centres in mid-size communities such as Belleville.
Such centres would provide not only medical help for people overdosing on drugs or alcohol, there would also be professional counselling services and advice offered.
Belleville Chamber of Commerce CEO Jill Raycroft told the Chamber’s Annual General Meeting Thursday that a detox centre in the city would help everyone, businesses included.
“It isn’t us against anyone – we are all here together and with the Chief of Police and with the healthcare sector on our board we understand the situations they’re facing so we’re looking for equitable solutions that support everyone.”
Belleville Chief of Police Mike Callaghan has also received support from the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police for the detox centre proposal.
Pandemic had silver lining
The COVID-19 pandemic was tough on everyone but in one way, the forced slowdown caused by the lockdowns was a good thing for local tourist promotion.
At the Belleville Chamber of Commerce’s Annual General Meeting Thursday, CEO Jill
Raycroft told Quinte News that the pandemic really forced locals to look in their own backyard for attractions and short trips.
Raycroft told Quinte News that the pandemic really forced locals to look in their own backyard for attractions and short trips.
Since then the Chamber’s tourism website, Discover Belleville, started growing rapidly.
“So through the course of a couple of years we built up a following around Discover Belleville and as a result we have this really happy place where good things live around visitor attraction, resident attraction, resident support for information around the fun things to do.”
Recent numbers show that Discover Belleville has reached 150,000 individual visitors.
Check out Discover Belleville here.
