A quick question about new hospital

[TylerM4]

What new hospital? And I don't actually see a question?

PRH is getting a much needed expansion in the form of a new tower/building. This was announced nearly 2 years ago and is well underway - it would take something big to stop if from happening. There are no new hospitals being considered.

The opening of any new/expanded public service is always turned into a political showboating event to gather support/votes. Nothing suspicious there, that's the way it's always been. You'll notice most announcements like this seem to occur in the year leading up to an election.

[Jim Dixon]

I must say , the timing is suspicious. Make a big promise just before an election that looks like it is all but lost already.
I hope that Penticton gets a much needed upgrade , but I doubt it will actually happen any time soon.

I imagine you are talking about Mayor Findlaters campaign promise of a new hospital on the Westside (aka West Kelowna).

Some History:
Findlaters hospital plan is stolen from several people that brought the idea around many years ago. John Burke, then President of the Smith Creek Neighbourhood Organization brought together like-minded people on the Westside and created the Westside Public Support Organization (WPSO) which was the umbrella organization overseeing the process of lobbying for a small emergency/walk-in hospital/treatment centre.

Many people volunteered hundreds of hours, and their own money to muster local politico support and encourage Interior Heath to set up the small emergency hospital on the Westside. Then the politicians got involved and progress came to a halt. The newly formed city of West Kelowna council with the assistance of then Regional District Director Aaron Dinwoodie all but buried the idea. If I remember correctly, Findlater was opposed to the idea but he can whitewash that one.

The property, now owned by Interior Health, was purchased from the group headed by ex-mayor Walter Grey (follow the money). Burke and his group were gobbledygooked by the council of the day, and befuddled with bureaucratic hoops and hurdles and the whole project went silent, until now - election time.

So why didn't Findlater and Company bring it up before? Follow the money AND, Findlater is no longer controlled by the ex Liberal leader, and, it's an election year... one only needs to promise a fireman on every corner and a free toaster in every kitchen and they get elected. Remember this, council of the day was opposed, or I should say, were told to oppose it. The godfathers of local politics ordered the idea be shelved. One obstacle is dead, the others were de-elected (as in deloused, fired, cleansed of....)

Your tax money was spent, studies were ordered, meetings were held, time was wasted (as was your tax dollars).

The reincarnated hospital plan 'promise' should be listened to very carefully. Some might feel that Findlater is using it to boost his votes and they would probably be right. But if Findlater fights to get this hospital, and fails, he will only look good (knowing it is built to fail anyway), and will make his sore-spot, the NDP, look bad in the final score. In other words, Doug will look like the poor so that tried so hard and was beaten down by the NDP.

Findlater wants this election campaign to be about voting for a local hospital, not about people. He most certainly doesn't want "roads" in the election equation, nor our horrific loss of public beachfront, lack of sufficient policing, - - and none of the real social and financial issues facing the Westside. If we want a hospital, it will come no matter who gets elected or makes wild and woolly promises. It's not the Kremlin-like leader that brings it about - it's you and I and every other taxpayer that makes change.

If you are wondering where the West Kelownas own version of the Kremlins honesty, integrity, morals, and scruples went, just check some of the potholes... don't fall in - most search and rescue are likely busy sandbagging the taxpayers.

YOUR tax dollars bought that IH land and like too many on council, it sits doing nothing but eating away at your hard earned income. This election, vote based on the candidates history, not false and misleading promises.

Time to clean house.

just sayin...

jim

TROLLS: I am not running.

[AltaRed]

It is not a full blown hospital that is being discussed by Mayor Findlater. It's an urgent care centre that is much less complete than a hospital but can handle many emergencies and diagnostic are, that can be a substitute for the overload in ER at KGH. Plus a much better response time for West Kelowna and Peachland residents during the hours the bridge is utterly clogged with traffic.

Other cities have found urgent care centres to bring cost effective relief to overloaded general hospitals Calgary for example has had a few for some years to relieve the load at their 4 major hospitals. It quite frankly makes a lot of sense.

[Anonymous123]

Is there a link to the story?

[Fancy]

This is the only news item I have found so far:
http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/news/ ... 9b45c.html
Anything about Penticton should be in the South Okanagan forum?

[westernrider]

Westsiders have watched Interior Health spend hundreds of millions on KGH expansion, parking lots and office space in Kelowna while the property in Westbank sits empty waiting for our urgent care centre.

[Jim Dixon]

Westsiders have watched Interior Health spend hundreds of millions on KGH expansion, parking lots and office space in Kelowna while the property in Westbank sits empty waiting for our urgent care centre.

Perhaps the voters will encourage the politicos to get the urgent centre groundbreaking BEFORE the fall election, and not just promise to work on it IF elected.

[Fancy]

West Kelowna will try to get letters of support for an urgent care facility on the Westside from councils representing Peachland and Westbank First Nation. At the suggestion of Coun. Rosalind Neis, Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran will also be asked to support the idea.

The regional district has some money - one can only hope those projects they are talking about get underway.

[TylerM4]

Westsiders have watched Interior Health spend hundreds of millions on KGH expansion, parking lots and office space in Kelowna while the property in Westbank sits empty waiting for our urgent care centre.

Just wanted to point out - Ministry of Health allocates the funding to make these sorts of things happen and therefor makes the decision, not Interior Health. Most IH execs would love to see a facility built in West Kelowna. If nothing else, it would remove pressure from KGH.