Salvation Army move doesn’t serve clientele

Re: Why the Salvation Army is making the right move into Vanier, July 4.

Mike Bulthuis lists all of the services and supports the Salvation Army offers for a “diverse crosssection of Ottawa.” Get real.

Nobody’s worried about a diverse cross-section. Anyone familiar with George Street knows what Vanier is worried about, but somehow Bulthuis believes the designers and planners of the new facility will be able to ensure “safety through building design,” so residential Vanier can avoid what happens downtown.

He points out that 50 per cent of the Salvation Army’s clientele come from the Vanier “area.” So therefore we should just put all of them here? How can people rehabilitate and reintegrate when surrounded by the very problems they’re trying to get away from?

Vanier has worked hard to support its vulnerable and already has more than a dozen support services. It is not the only neighbourhood that needs the support of the Salvation Army. That’s why it should remain central — or spread out — to serve all of Ottawa, not to help create a ghetto in Vanier. Mark Kaminski, Vanier