North Richmond injecting room could open ‘as soon as next week’

The opening date for the North Richmond safe injecting room still has not been revealed, despite local residents saying it could open as soon as next week.

Neil Mitchell spoke to a number of residents who said the community as been left in the dark as the government consults amongst themselves.

“The government won’t tell us when it’ll open, what hours it’ll open because they don’t want cameras down there as they think it’ll scare off the drug users,” Neil said.

“Don’t put all the emphasis on the drug users and forget the locals.”

A local photographer, Alan Mitchell told Neil he was told it could be opening as early as next Monday.

“The start of the school holidays,” he said.

“The consultation right from the start has been almost zero especially with residents close to where it will be.”

Robert Valent, who has lived in the area since 1958, said the facility does look ready to begin operating, “next week or the week after.”

“It looks like part of it is just about finished, and that was about a week ago,” he said.

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Lucy lives about 100 metres from the North Community Centre and lives with three other young women.

“I was walking to the supermarket yesterday about 4pm and there was a woman just smoking ice in her car, in broad daylight,” she said.

Photo: AAP