An open letter to:
The Honourable Josie Osborne,
Minister of Health,
Province of B.C.
Dear Minister:
It's not too late. It goes without saying that we have a beautiful new hospital but we can do better yet by retaining and repurposing the 70-year-old Mills Memorial building and doing a "change order" to adjust parking plans to a more usable model.
Were common sense to prevail the back of the hospital, like the front, should be blanket paved, allowing for 100 staff to come in at the northwest corner in what should be a secured staff parking lot. The remainder of the site should be blanket paved as well accommodating a further 250 parking spots for the public while still retaining the existing Mills Memorial building to meet the many, as yet, unmet needs of our community.
This parking proposal was made by Skeena Valley Seniors Society two years ago, in their fight to better use taxpayer dollars and provide much needed services. Instead the current design calls for sidewalks, curbing and landscaping that do not serve our population well, but instead, further burdens taxpayers with additional ongoing maintenance and wasted tax dollars.
This is money that should go instead into needed services that our community lacks. The demolition of the old hospital will cost a further million dollars. To construct a building of its scope and magnitude will cost no less then $250 million. That puts this proposed parking lot at $350 million, perhaps the most expensive in the country. It's not too late to re-think this.
During the past two years Skeena Valley Seniors Society have addressed the City of Terrace council, the Regional District od Kitimat-Stikine, the regional hospital board, the Northern Health CEO, Premier David Eby, former-health minister Adrian Dix, former B.C. United Skeena MLA Ellis Ross, Skeena- Bulkley Valley NDP MP Taylor Bachrach, local taxpayers and many media organizations about our concerns.
Skeena Valley Seniors Society has tried to meet the needs of the community by public interfaces, rallies, petitions and multiple meetings with those in charge. It's not too late. Put in the 'change order', Minister Osborne and get your ministry off to a great start.
Diana Penner,
President,
Skeena Valley Seniors Society,
Terrace, B.C.
