Reader letter: Hospital location needs to be changed before it’s too late

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Windsor Regional Hospital recently hosted a series of town hall meetings seeking public feedback for a new hospital design.

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These online meetings lasted a few weeks and covered everything from the lobby design to the pediatric unit to the cardiac center. The motto was “Together we build” and public input was desired.

The location for the new hospital at County Road 42 and Ninth Concession was arrived at by a volunteer site selection committee — not by public feedback or planning experts. Where were the town halls and public input at that time?

The public was only told where the new hospital was going, they were not asked where they wanted it to go.

In April 2016, the city council voted to pay the $112 million levy for the city’s portion of the new hospital, but at that meeting council was instructed the vote was about the levy only and not location of the new hospital.

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In August 2018, council voted to rezone the South Sandwich lands residential and institutional. When a group lost its appeal to the LPAT, it was stated they based their decision on zoning only — not where to place a new hospital.

In November 2020, council voted 6-4 to ask the province to move the hospital project to phase 2. Again council was instructed the location was already decided.

When exactly did council debate the location of the new hospital? Where are the stats on the financial, social and environmental implications of moving acute hospital care to the County Road 42 location?

Many leaders in our city agree the new location is unfortunate, yet have seemingly been willing to overlook the ramifications of removal of this anchor institution from the city centre.

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In December 2019, Accreditation Canada gave WRH an exemplary score of 99.8 per cent on its delivery of modern health care. In my view, there is no hurry to get this hospital built.

When will council wake up, realize we have time to get this right and change this dreadful course of action before it’s too late?

Caroline TaylorWindsor

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