From complaints about internet access to questions about money, hospital officials received an earful at a town hall meeting Wednesday night.
The public meeting at the Royal Canadian Legion was held to gather feedback on how Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (OSMH) should proceed: build a new facility on a new site or redevelop on the existing property. About 40 people were in attendance.
Four options were presented. The first three would see redevelopment on site, while the fourth calls for a new facility somewhere else in town.
Any of the first three scenarios would mean “we’re going to be living through constant renovations,” said Doug Murray, chief financial officer and vice-president of corporate services with OSMH.
Options 1 to 3 could mean 30 years of construction. Once completed, the hospital’s Community Tower would be near the end of its expected life span, meaning more work could be required.
If OSMH were to build a new hospital on a different site, a shovel could be in the ground a decade from now.
In that case, the hospital envisions two main buildings — a core hospital providing 24/7 emergency, ICU, obstetrical, pediatrics, mental health and surgical services with inpatient medical beds in addition to an ambulatory care centre, which would function similar to specialty clinics where the focus is on patients who need specialized care but do not require a hospital stay.
There are two parts to Option 4: a) Build all components of the existing hospital on a new site, and, b) Build a core hospital on the new site while maintaining some services (for example, ambulatory care) on the existing site.
The first person to speak up following the formal presentation by Murray decided it was a good time to complain about wait times, the lack of free wireless internet, and the quality of OSMH nurses. The audience soon drowned him out, telling him it was not the appropriate forum for such statements.
“We have one of the best hospitals around,” Coun. Ralph Cipolla responded. “Please don’t degrade the nurses.”
Cipolla then urged officials to think of how building a hospital elsewhere would affect the community.
When it comes to land, “there’s not much other than West Ridge,” he said.
“I would really like to see an evaluation of the impact on the business community and the citizens of Orillia,” he said.
He suggested the hospital “would have a heck of a time raising money for a new building” if it were to be built on the other side of Highway 11.
Money was on the mind of Dave Moore, too. He pressed Murray for answers on expected costs associated with each of the options and was told a cost analysis would come later, once the hospital’s plan is submitted to the province. That is expected to happen this fall.
Moore asked Murray which of the first three options would work best on the current site. Murray said that’s what OSMH is trying to determine.
“Home Depot has a shape figured out. Tim Hortons has a shape figured out. Why don’t you have a shape figured out?” Moore asked.
“We know what these pieces look like,” Murray replied, but he said they don’t know how they fit together in the big picture.
Moore also cautioned against providing too many options.
“I’ve lived in Orillia for 30 years, and if you give us enough options, we’ll never get there,” he said.
The term “community support” in Murray’s presentation caught Moore’s eye.
“Does that mean money?” he asked.
It does, Murray said, adding the community would be expected to raise about 30 per cent of the cost.
Barb Shakell wanted to make sure officials knew how important the decision is to the community.
“We, as citizens, have just gone through 10 years of deciding on the MURF (multi-use recreation facility). The hospital is similar (in that it) affects all of us in the City of Orillia,” she said. “You keep saying, ‘We are going to decide.’”
Shakell wanted to know who, specifically, was being referred to as “we.”
OSMH community relations director Terry Dyni explained the process: The hospital will use the information and suggestions gathered through meetings like Wednesday’s town hall and will submit a proposal to its board of directors, which is populated with volunteers who are members of the community. The board will decide what to propose to the government.
The hospital has been sharing its plans with community groups, such as service clubs, for more than a year. Dyni said any groups that would like to invite OSMH to make a presentation can contact the hospital to make that request.
Another town hall meeting will be held before the plan is sent to the province. A date for that meeting has not yet been set.
Anyone who wants to provide feedback on the plan can email [email protected] or call 705-325-2201.
— With files from Dave Dawson
