The Crossing

Similkameen youth treatment facility continues to languish

PENTICTON - The re-opening of a youth addiction treatment facility continues to stall in the Similkameen valley as the property’s owners work with the province to restablish new guidelines. Central City Foundation Chief  Executive Officer Jennifer Johnstone says the foundation, which owns the former Portage youth addiction treatment facility known as The Crossing, remain committed...

Central City Foundation continues to seek new operator for The Crossing

KEREMEOS - Five months after the Portage residential treatment centre for addicted youth, known as The Crossing at Keremeos closed its doors, the owner of the property says work to reopen the facility continues. Central City Foundation president Jennifer Johnstone says a made-in-B.C. solution is being sought to reopen The Crossing and the foundation has...

Former Crossing residents won’t let it die

PENTICTON - A former Portage B.C. resident of The Crossing treatment centre is petitioning for its return. A number of former residents at the company’s youth residential addiction treatment facility located near Keremeos, which suddenly closed earlier this month, want to see the program continue in B.C. “We need more places like that. Portage made...

CROSSING CLOSURE: Portage insists closure was budgetary

PENTICTON - The company that closed its youth residential treatment centre in Keremeos earlier this month without any notice disputes claims by the provincial government that it was closed due to unlicenced staff. Portage B.C. is sticking to its assertion that it closed the facility because of funding issues from the B.C. government, despite a...

CROSSING CLOSURE: Licensing issues at the heart of shutdown, ministry says

PENTICTON - A lack of properly licensed staff was a key issue in the sudden closure of the Portage youth treatment facility near Keremeos known as The Crossing last Thursday, March 5, according to the provincial government. “They gave us notice of their decision to withdraw on that day,” said Connie Coniglio, executive director for...

Many questions in Keremeos over quiet closure of The Crossing

PENTICTON - Rumours were swirling in Keremeos over the weekend about the sudden closure of the Portage youth rehabilitation centre last Thursday, but residents had few hard facts to go on with no official announcement from anyone involved. The facility was quiet and empty Monday, a gate barring access to the driveway, with no one...

Layoffs announced as Keremeos youth treatment centre closes doors

PENTICTON - A Keremeos residential treatment facility for addicted youth known as The Crossing suddenly closed its doors yesterday, ending the service and sending roughly 20 people out of work. The facility was operated by Portage British Columbia, which confirmed the closure today, March 6. Portage spokesperson Christina Panagio said after a dispute with the...

Addicted youth suffer from lack of treatment facilities

PENTICTON - The closing of Portage’s youth treatment centre near Keremeos last week eliminated an important treatment facility for addicted Canadian youth, says an addiction specialist and certified interventionist. The Crossing, a residential rehabilitation centre for addicted adolescents between the ages of 14 - 18, closed suddenly last week due to a funding disagreement with...