Recent calls for the closure of Valley View have set off Alfred Rawn. His sister Bonnie is an a facility similar to Moose Jaw's and calls it a "Godsend."

 

Our recent stories about Valley View and some provincial groups trying to shut it down have really got some locals thinking. In fact one man got to thinking about his sister who lives in a similar facility in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba.

Alfred Rawn called us and says without these facilities, families would be devastated. "We tried to raise her and we just couldn't do it because it was just to hard. You don't understand what they want and when we put her in it makes a big difference and it so much easier on us and for all the other families its the same thing. You just can't handle the needs they need.

Alfred compares his sister Bonnie to a 5-year-old but in reality she's 44. He says the people that want Valley View shutdown should spend a day in the facility and see what things are really like.

Nearly 280 people live at Moose Jaw's Valley View Centre and receive first class care from over 350 permanent first class staff and a total of 800 staff through out the year.

Several provincial groups were in Regina Wednesday trying to have Valley View shut down saying the centre is an archaic, blatant abuse of human rights and the residents should live in the community.

We spoke with Valley View Director Terry Hardy who says the residents are part of the community. "They participate in a number of community events and practically anything that’s going on in the community of Moose Jaw. We also camp out at Buffalo Pound with boating and fishing. We have folks that participate in Special Olympics, power lifters, floor hockey... the list is endless."

The groups opposing Valley View were in Saskatoon Friday holding a forum on why the centre needs to be closed permanently.

For more on this story click on "Groups Call for Valley View to Close" found here on discovermoosejaw.com"