Concerns raised about drug paraphernalia in children’s washrooms in Lethbridge’s downtown Public Library
LETHBRIDGE – At first glance, the children’s area in Lethbridge’s downtown Public Library appears innocuous; parents and caregivers are reading to young children or using computers, there are activities going on, and staff are checking books in and out.
Look a little bit closer, and you see signs on the washrooms that read “everyone is welcome here, drugs are not.” They go on to state that drug dealing is prohibited, sharps containers are in all bathrooms, and anyone who sees suspicious activity going on should call staff or police immediately.
Still closer, and you will notice a number of people going in and out of the bathrooms quickly…surreptitiously. And when you look inside of those washrooms, that’s when anyone who goes in will likely notice the number of needles in the biohazard containers. Dozens and dozens of them. Sometimes those needles are just left on the floor or haphazardly dumped where children use the bathroom; where mothers change their babies’ diapers or even go to breastfeed.
It’s something that has some parents very concerned. Julia Kuntz has four children. She takes them to both the west side and the downtown libraries at least once a week. The amount of drug-related debris at the downtown location does worry her sometimes.