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MEMBER:
BY JASON COHEN
Nearly 1,000 Pelham Parkway/
Allerton residents came
out to oppose a rumored
methadone clinic at Community
Board 11’s town hall on
Thursday, November 7.
Because of the size of the
crowd, the meeting was split
into two one-hour sessions.
While elected offi cials
promptly assured the audience
that the proposed plan
by Carnegie Hill Institute to
put a methadone abuse treatment
clinic at 2500 Williamsbridge
is dead and there has
been no application for 2440
Esplanade, the evening was
fi lled with yelling, interrupting,
rudeness and downright
concern.
The community board
didn’t anticipate the large
turnout. Residents waited
hours in the pouring rain to
be heard.
By 7 p.m., the room at the
NY Institute for Special Education
at 999 Pelham Parkway
North was fi lled to capacity.
Local residents and community
activist Minister
Irene Estrada helped organize
the town hall.
Over the past few months,
she spread the word on social
media, and got the word out
about the planned clinic.
She noted people are
elated that there are no plans
to bring a clinic to the community.
Councilman Mark Gjonaj
and Assemblywoman Nathalia
Fernandez did their best
to calm everyone down.
“I want you all to know
that this is a real community
issue,” the councilman
said. “People worked behind
the scenes and in front of the
scenes to make sure that it
will not happen.”
As Gjonaj spoke he was
constantly interrupted by the
angry audience. He stressed
that he knows why they were
there and supports them 100
percent.
However, he acknowledged
opioids are killing
more people than suicides,
guns and car accidents combined,
so providing people a
place for help is important.
“There’s a real need for
clinics to help with substance
abuse,” Gjonaj said. “Where
they put them is the problem.”
In fact, Assemblyman Michael
Benedetto introduced a
bill in August that would prohibit
the approval of licenses
for alcoholism programs,
substance abuse programs,
and chemical dependence
programs within 500 feet of a
school, public park or church,
synagogue or other place of
worship.
Gjonaj reiterated that no
state application has been
made for 2440 Esplanade and
2500 Williamsbridge is dead.
He noted that this does not
mean that others will not try
and come into the neighborhood.
In September, Carnegie
Hill Institute presented a proposal
at Community Board
11’s Health and Social Services
Committee regarding
their intention to open a drug
treatment center in the onestory
corner property on Williamsbridge
Road between
Hone and Mace avenues.
CB 11 already has nine active
and certifi ed chemical dependence
treatment centers
within its boundaries, with
another located just outside.
Fernandez, who was also
interupted while she spoke,
said she has steadfastly fought
alongside the neighborhood
against another methadone
clinic.
“I care about this community
and about what you need
and want,” Fernandez said.
Among the angry residents
were Daniela DiMaggio
and Marcia Lewis. DiMaggio.
They stressed there is a need
for more homes, not clinics.
“Enough medical buildings
and facilities,” DiMaggio
shouted. “We don’t want
a methadone clinic in our
neighborhood.”
Lewis told the Bronx
Times that people are pissed
off because they don’t want
another clinic in their backyard.
This area of the Bronx
is already overcrowded, she
stressed.
“If not for the grassroots
effort, nobody would know
what’s going on,” she stated.
“We do not need people coming
from outside areas walking
through neighborhoods
where kids still play in the
street, near schools, near
houses of worship, near
stores and where people go
shopping.”
Angry residents attend town hall
opposing two methadone clinics
Cm Mark Gjonaj tells people the plans for a methadone clinic are
dead. Schneps Media/ Jason Cohen
Residnets attend the town hall on a propsoed methadone clinic. chneps Media/ Jason Cohen
Residents attend the town hall abou the methadone clinic. Schneps Media/ Jason Cohen
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