Earlier this week, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England won a legal victory in Superior Court that will allow the group to open a new clinic in Manchester. The decision comes after more than a year of legal wrangling between Planned Parenthood, anti-abortion groups and several neighbors. NHPR’s David Darman has more.
Planned Parenthood of Northern New England wants to open the clinic in Downtown Manchester so they can consolidate two smaller facilities in Bedford and Manchester. Jennifer Frizzell, spokesman for the New Hampshire office of Planned Parenthood, says the group is relieved to be able to finally open the facility, after the long and contentious struggle against anti-abortion groups and a few neighbors who do not want the clinic to open.
08 planned parenthood is very pleased with judge brennan’s decision, and we applaud him for recognizing us for what we are, which is a medical office providing health care services in the greater Manchester area. 08 11
Frizzell says the new clinic will provide health services for women, including annual exams, cancer screenings and testing for sexually transmitted diseases. The clinic will not offer abortions, at least in the short term. But critics of the clinic say Planned Parenthood has not been entirely truthful in its presentations to the courts, or to city officials who heard the case when it was first presented. Barbara Hagan, board member and past president of New Hampshire Right to Life, an anti abortion group, says Planned Parenthood deliberately misled the courts and a city board for more than a year.
03 246 for planned parenthood to stand behind the veil of medical offices, when everyone knows that even in their mission statement they are a very high profile advocacy group for abortion rights I think is misleading the public and the zoning boards. And they’ve done it all across the country as to what the true use of that building is going to be. 03 319
Opponents of the new clinic argued in court that it will interrupt nearby residential life, since a constant stream of traffic, and possibly protesters, will be moving in and out of the neighborhood. But Planned Parenthood’s Jennifer Frizzell says the neighborhood has several commercial establishments in it, and is less residential than it once was. In addition, Frizzell says Planned Parenthood has complied with every regulation that needed to be satisfied.
11 15 we continue to contend, and did contend in the court battle that planned parenthood is a medical office, providing services that are substantially similar to any other medical office in the Manchester community. And do believe the abutters were adequately noticed about that.
Opponents of the clinic have not decided yet if they will appeal the Superior Court decision to the Supreme Court. But opponents say no matter what they decide, they will continue to protest abortions, and the clinic that one day may offer them.
