A local senior citizens group may have been unsuccessful in persuading senior Northern Health Authority officials to save the current Seven Sisters mental health facility from demolition, but its president reports they had the chance to state their case at a meeting Oct. 24.
Skeena Valley Seniors Society president Diana Penner said both Anne Chisholm, newly in charge of Mills Memorial Hospital, and Debbie Strang, the interim head of Northern Health in the Northwest, told them they don’t have the authority to make any changes to the Seven Sisters demolition plan.
“They said they can’t do that but they also said they will pass it on,” Penner said of the senior society’s wish that the mental health facility, now slated to be demolished to make room for the new Mills Memorial, be saved.
The seniors at first suggested the building could be used as a hospice or for seniors housing before indicating that Northern Health employees told them it would make an excellent daycare centre thus helping to attract and then retain health care professionals.
But provincial officials have consistently told the seniors the current 20-bed Seven Sisters building is not suitable for renovation or conversion and that the Mills Memorial replacement project is too far along to permit any changes to the construction footprint without a significant cost hike.
Northern Health is, however, replacing the building with one that will have 25 beds and added amenities. It is now nearing completion on the Mills Memorial property.
The seniors also presented two petitions of more than 2,000 names combined. One asked to save the current Seven Sisters and the other to save the current Mills Memorial building. The latter is also to be demolished when the new hospital is ready for occupancy and will be replaced by a parking lot.
Penner said the seniors society wants the current Mills used as a care residence until Terraceview Lodge can be expanded.
Information gathered by the society indicates the current wait list is 58 people. As it is, Mills Memorial acts as a facility for people waiting their turn for a bed at Terraceview.
Penner said the Northern Health officials told the seniors there was absolutely nothing they could do about the decision to tear down those two buildings.
“But they said they are happy to work with us in any other aspect that they can to enhance the lives of seniors in our community.”
Although the plan for the new Mills Memorial was approved first by the B.C. Liberals in 2017 and then re-approved in 2018 by the current NDP government Northern Health was largely silent on the future of the current Seven Sisters building until well into 2019.
But a statement from Northern Health provided after the Oct. 24 meeting with the seniors society indicated the future of the current Seven Sisters and current Mills Memorial was considered as part of the planning for a new Mills going back 14 years.
“Based on numerous factors — such as site location, the state of the buildings, and changes in health service standards — the replacement plans including the construction of new facilities and the demolition of the existing ones was determined to be the best option to build a new hospital and that would meet the needs of Terrace and the surrounding region,” Northern Health said.
“While we recognize and are working with the province and with various partners to address the needs for detox, daycare, housing, and long-term care and respite in the area, the current Seven Sisters and Mills Memorial buildings are not viable solutions for these purposes.”