Jennifer and Rodell Bautista’s son Gabriel died by suicide just two weeks ago. The 20-year-old rapper struggled with a drug addiction.
"A common theme in everything that he wrote and a recurring theme was his desire to be a better man and his desire to kick the habit,” said Rodell Bautista.
But Gabriel's mom says finding treatment was difficult.
"No help, no support, I spent years trying to get him help," said Jennifer Bautista.
The couple attended a meeting Tuesday afternoon where conceptual designs were being shared with the public for the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre.
They wore black in support of their son and the 50-bed long term treatment facility, set to rise on the decommissioned Vimy Arena site in Crestview.
But they were outnumbered by people wearing white.
The white clothing, a demonstration against the project over concerns about loss of green space, property values and the belief the centre is not a good fit for a residential neighbourhood.
“It's not a good atmosphere for children growing up in the neighbourhood and there's more and more children coming to that neighbourhood,” said one man.
The meeting quickly became heated as people on both sides verbally sparred over the issue, including the Bautista family and supporters.
The Friends of Sturgeon Creek, a community group opposed to the project, encouraged the demonstration. It’s hired a law firm to investigate the sale of the Vimy property from the city to the province for one dollar.
Independent MLA Steven Fletcher is the spokesperson for the group.
“The community and the Friends of Sturgeon Creek are outraged about how the process has not happened,” said Fletcher.
Jennifer and Rodell Bautista say people who'll be attending the facility, aren't dangerous criminals, they're patients looking for help like their son.
"It wasn't a choice it's a disease; it's a disease that should be treated as such,” said Rodell Bautista.
