Champlain LHIN endorses Civic hospital plan
Public consultation on controversial plan to take place in new year
By Steph Willems
Ottawa West News, Dec 01, 2015
A year after the federal government transferred a portion of Experimental Farm to the National Capital Commission for a future expansion of the Ottawa Hospital’s Civic Campus, a provincial health body has given the plan its approval.
On Nov. 25, the Champlain Local Health Integration Network – which co-ordinates health care in eastern Ontario – approved the hospital’s pre-capital submission plan for the future development of a new Civic campus on the south side of Carling Avenue, across from its present location.
The land transfer of Nov. 2014 came as a shock to nearby residents and proponents of the Experimental Farm.
In total, 24 hectares, or 5.7 per cent of the total land area of the farm, was transferred from Agriculture Canada to the NCC for a future lease to the hospital. The land is located on the northwest portion of the farm, abutting Carling Avenue and Fisher Avenue, north of the scenic driveway.
The hospital had long-standing plans to build a new campus, having outgrown its existing and aging space.
According to the LHIN, now that this approval has been given, public consultations on the plan can begin – meetings expected early in the new year.
“Our goal is to ensure that the citizens of Ottawa continue to receive the best health care possible for generations to come,” Dr. Jack Kitts, president and CEO of the Ottawa Hospital, said in a media release.
“I look forward to our community’s input and insight into how their hospital will integrate into the fabric of the neighbourhood and the city.”
The Ottawa Hospital states that the hospital, working in collaboration with the NCC, will seek input “on design vision, guidelines and principles to understand what is most important to our community and stakeholders when integrating a new hospital into the community.”
The information received will guide the planning process for the years ahead, they said.
LONG-TERM PLAN
During an initial community meeting following the land transfer, there was much confusion as to what the deal meant, as well as the process and timeline attached.
Hospital officials assured that any actual development would be years down the road, given that it was part of a long-term strategic plan.
Some residents expressed distrust of the motives behind the transfer, which was accomplished by the then-Conservative federal government. One resident opined that the hospital deal was a way for then-MP John Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean) to “punish” the neighbourhood.
Others supported the plan, as they liked having access to a nearby hospital.
In deciding on the land across Carling, the hospital looked at alternate sites contained within its master plan – a document created after a 2007 planning initiative. Twelve sites were looked at and ultimately rejected based on a list of criteria that included rapid access to care, public transportation and proximity to downtown.
The Civic Campus contains the Ottawa Hospital’s trauma centre, making its proximity to Highway 417 – and a large portion of the urban population of Ottawa –a key asset.
Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper said the plan “keeps the hospital in the urban area,” something he said he was eager to see.
“There’s going to be discussions between the hospital and city as to what form (the consultations) could take,” he said.
“It’s a major facility relocation that will have wide impacts in our ward and (River Coun.) Riley Brockington’s ward. Community consultation will be critical – these can’t be closed door meetings … I’m going to make sure they get feedback from residents.”
With any construction of a new Civic campus years down the road, Leiper said he is interested to see what the project would mean for “desirability of advancing a spur line of LRT down Carling Avenue.”
A spur line exists as a conceptual addition to the second phase of the city’s LRT system, though the possibility has gotten little mention given the scope of the overall project.
“Depending on the function of the new facility, or whether there’s an increase in staff … we need to revisit some of our plans for rapid transit down Carling Avenue,” he said.
http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/n...hospital-plan/
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