Pawtucket, RI November 26, 2009 – The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health (CSPH), the first non-profit sexuality resource and information center in South Eastern New England, is set to go before the appeal board on November 30th @ 630pm to challenge a zoning decision that prevented it from opening in September.
After a controversial zoning decision was made by Pawtucket zoning officer Ron Travers, The CSPH was not permitted to open. The reason for denial was a lack of zoning clause for “education†to take place within the Grant Building. The CSPH was not permitted to open because its mission states it works to provide education.
After numerous national and local news organizations picked up the story and interviewed city officials, it became clear that the Pawtucket city officers had given pre-textual reasons for not allowing The CSPH to open. Harvey Goulet, the City’s director of administration, was quoted as objecting to “this type of business†as “not really something we feel is appropriate for our city.†The ACLU has weighed in on the battle regarding adult sex education stating in a press release “the city’s intent is to suppress the speech that would occur at the Center. Such content-based discrimination raises serious constitutional concerns.â€
Liberal, conservative, moderate and libertarian news media have all been in favor to allow The CSPH to open and they agree that the location and the presentation are appropriate for the environment it is currently housed in. Neighbors of The CSPH have housed petitions requesting the center to be able to open. Providence Journal writer Bob Kerr and popular conservative talk radio host Dan Yorke have both voiced support for The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health.
Ms. Andelloux, the director of the non-profit Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health is a certified sexuality educator who wants to provide the adult community with a safe place to access information about sexuality issues. The Appeal Board meeting will take place in the Monday, November 30th, at the Pawtucket City Hall, 3rd floor at 630pm. The public is invited to attend.
For questions or statements contact Megan Andelloux at 401.345.8685
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If you’d like to express your support for the CPSH, here’s a form letter Megan sent me. You can fax a letter to (401)772-3356 or call (401) 728-0500 and ask for Anna Salum to voice your concern on Monday. Here is a sample copy of one:
City of Pawtucket Board of Appeals
137 Roosevelt Avenue
Pawtucket, RI 02860
Dear Members of the Appeal Board,
I am writing on behalf of The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health (CSPH) and it’s founder/director, Megan Andelloux. I want to voice my support for The CSPH, the positive work it will do and the vital services it will provide.
As a person I appreciate that there will be a place where one may openly seek medically accurate, safe information about a subject that is often hard to address. As a business owner, I appreciate the passion and dedication that Ms. Andelloux is applying to starting a ground-breaking, non-profit organization in Pawtucket, RI.
Lastly, as a concerned citizen outside of Pawtucket, I am in shock that the members of this city would object to bringing more revenue and visitors because they believe of a “lack of zoningâ€. I have been reading the newspaper articles since the beginning of this situation and it has become glaring obvious that this lack of zoning is a veiled attempt to cover the city’s panic about talking openly on sexuality issues. With prevailing attitudes like this, it is apparent to me that the CSPH is arriving just in the nick of time to open our minds and our hearts to a world of new possibilities.
I urge you to support the entrepreneurship of Ms. Andelloux and to support the growth of Pawtucket through business people who think outside the box.
Sincerely yours,
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