Mesa residents made their voices heard Wednesday night at a public meeting regarding Crossroads Turning Points, Inc., moving treatment programs into the old El Pueblo facility.
Crossroads was selected as the nonprofit to operate out of the old facility by El Pueblo’s Board of Directors in March. The property transfer, according to CEO Leroy Lucero, is a done deal.
What is far from complete, though, are the clinic’s plans for how to use it.
Crossroads has mentioned moving a women’s residential program, which provides serves expecting and postpartum mothers battling addiction, into the facility. Through an application, it also could bring the circle program with it, which was removed from the state hospital in Pueblo.
The community members at Wednesday’s meeting tell News 5 they aren’t against the programs. They just don’t want them in their backyards, citing past issues with El Pueblo.
"Whether it’s in the county or in the city, it needs to be in an environment that’s not a residential area that they’re allowed to then roam freely into where children are playing," said Julie Johnston, who spoke in opposition at the meeting.
Lucero told News 5 Crossroads will do all it can to prevent disruption toward neighbors. That could include building a wall between six and eight feet tall.
"Nothing that would put the community or the neighborhood in risk," Lucero said. "That’s why we’re willing to look at a wall. I don’t like the fact that they have two entrances."
With the property deal done, Crossroads still has to apply for and receive land use permits to operate out of the facility. That’s a process that will likely take months before a final decision will be made.
