Much as been said recently about the closure of the old hospital and the impact on its tenants. No question some people will attempt to gain as much political mileage out of this issue as possible. Some people will attempt to show that these tenants are being thrown out on the street with barely any notice.
Not for one moment does anybody take lightly the importance of any one of the groups presently using the old hospital. Because of that every one has taken the time to clearly give the public and the tenants ample notice, so that they would have time to find alternative locations. In fact at our council meeting of July 7 a motion was made to have the municipality continue to do everything possible to support the tenants of the Old Hospital to find and relocate to other sites. Surprisingly this motion was not supported by the whole of council. It as been suggested to us that we should give six months to a full years additional notice prior to closing the old hospital. Would any thing change with additional notice?
Does anybody for a second think that these suggestions are nothing but stalling tactics, six months from now puts us in the middle of winter, a full year from now puts us to just before the next election.
Lets review a little of the most recent history of the Crowsnest Centre Debate and then you decide if the tenants did not receive fair notice.
May 2008 CAO is presented a petition requiring a plebiscite on the Crowsnest Centre if petition numbers are validated
June 24, 2008 CAO informs Council that petition is valid, date of plebiscite set for Sept 22, 2008
July 8, 2008 Dates set for advance poll Sept 8, 2008
July 22, 2008 Wording set for plebiscite
Aug 5, 2008 Council informed that plebiscite wording as been forwarded to municipal lawyers.
Aug 19, 2008 CAO informs council that Bylaw 766 (Plebiscite wording) is valid
CAO presents report to council, providing list of tenants and other available locations
Mayor Irwin suggests that the losers of the plebiscite should resign from council.
Sept 22, 2008 Despite an attempt to have the plebiscite stopped by the courts (Which obviously failed), 69% of voters reject Bylaw 766
Oct 21, 2008 Motion passed by council to shut the old hospital.
Nov 4, 2008 Administration directed to bring paper work to the next council meeting to repeal Bylaws #265 and #404 (Bylaws allowing the Crowsnest Centre Board to run the Crowsnest Centre)
Nov 17, 2008 Council meets with Crowsnest Centre Board
Nov 18, 2008 First and Second reading of Bylaw #771 which would repeal Bylaws #265 and #404.
Nov 19, 2008 Council meets with Chinook Education Consortium, Adult Literacy, and Adult Education.
Dec 16, 2008 Public Hearing regarding rezoning of Centre property
Dec 17, 2008 Council meets with Food Bank
Jan 14, 2009 Council meets with Global Training
May 5, 2009 Notice of motion given to bring closing date to next council meeting
May 19, 2009 Date for the old hospital to be closed set by council for August 15, 2009
June 2, 2009 Council determines Utilities to the Old Hospital will be shut off August 17th and the building secured.
Notice was clearly given by council on Oct 21st 2008, that closure of the old hospital was coming, through December and January every tenant met with council, and was clearly informed of council direction on the old hospital. Two of those tenants have already moved or are in the process of moving. Some tenants choose “to not look” for alternative locations until the last few weeks, and we believe that some have not looked at all.
It has been stated from the beginning of this debate and at every step along the way that council is prepared to assist tenants to move in any reasonable way we can. Please despite the great media headlines it makes and the political mileage some will try to attain, we would hope that nobody would attempt to create the impression that any group is being thrown out on the street without fair notice and without repeated offers to assist from the municipal council.
11 comments:
Dean, could you remind us what the wording of the plebiscite was again?
Dean
I agree 100% with your comments. The food bank is open Tue Wed Thur
for a total of 7 hours a week. I was told they do approx 8 hampers a day for a total of 24 a week. Do people really think the center should not be closed for a tenant open 7 hours a week?
Read the following it states very well what is happening with the food bank and the other tenants at the Centre
http://blog.johnprince.ca/2009/08/hypocrisy-knows-no-bounds-when-it-comes.html
To the second anon....people need to eat.
And to Dean. If the centre isn't costing taxpayers money, why close it down. It'll become more rundown without people in it. Yes, eventually it should be closed, but why in such a hurry????
Why doesn't the town seriously think about building a combination 'crowsnest centre' and rec centre? With a nice pool and gym and meeting rooms....something people would use and something that might convince new people to move here instead of Sparwood or Pincher.
Once again we have an idiot who wants Government to get into private business. Look around the Pass and see how many businesses are hurting.
The building has had it.Close it down once and for all.There are plenty of places to hold that small food bank.It is being used as a political tool, period.Also I believe it is costing the taxpayer money,ask any municapal employee.
As for the combo centre I think that is right on.It would look good in MDMs field,level area with lots of room for parking.Time to move forward.
Letter to the editior
http://www.crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1689059
Did I just get called an idiot for stating my opinion?
Rec centres in smaller centres are often run by the town.
If that bothers you so much, let's get Devon or Spray Lakes to sponsor it.
General Comments
1) Food Bank is important and needs to be in this community. We has a council can not be responsible for the fact that people sat back for six months before they began to look elsewhere.
2) The majority of council has stated again and again that we are prepared to assist in any reasonable way possible.
3) Do I think that the Foodbank and some of the tenants are being used as political tools in this process? of course.
4) The centre is paying its own way! the only way that can be proven is by an audited financial statement. The only audited financial statement we have received that shows it paying its own way is for 2008 (First impression)
5) The centre shows a bottom line profit of $32,308. But if you look at the revenue it shows a grant of $102,405 from the municipality. Subtract that amount and you are left with a loss of $70,097.
6) 2009 the centre is receiving zero municipal dollars. Well for any of you business type people out there. Think about this without the municipal dollars last year the centre would have showed a loss of $70,097 on Revenue of $319802.
7) Now lets assume this year the place is just ticking along and making a very healthy (In these economic times) 20% profit. They would have to bring in an additional revenue of $512,025, to make up for last years municipal grant. That means the centre would have to raise its revenue from $319802 to $831,827. (260% growth in one year?)
8) The centres revenue has never exceeded $500,000 in any of the last 20 years.
9) Who do you think will eventually be saddled with the debt on this place. Never mind all of the dollars that should of gone in to the upkeep of the building.
10) My position as always been clear on the centre, if the taxpayers really want it and we has a community really need it. Then pour the money in to the building bring it up to date, make it modern and efficient. Go back to the orginal Nokomis report put the $4-7 million dollars that was recommended at that time into the building ($20 milllion in todays dollars)
11) We can not do our version of the "mini banff centre" on a $100,000 per year budget.
12) If we can not afford to do it right, then do not do it half assed.
13) Look around at all the empty buildings in the municipality, look around at all the facilities that are half used. The groups that are struggling to survive.
14)We need to determine what our priorities are, do them well and as money becomes available look at other options.
Yes Look Around at all of the empty buildings. There seems to be more and more of them every week. Take your pick. Perhaps that is your definition of opportunity and vision? Sure makes sense to try and kick out the consortium now - don't you think? Well Done.
Our community is spiraling into the abyss of being irrelivant - you are leading the charge. Thanks for your direction and guidance on that!
Crowsnest Pass Home
Do you think the Crowsnest Pass is the only community with empty building, we are in the middle of a recession.Come over to Medicine Hat and see what natural gas prices are doing to us.
I drove by the Crowsnest Centre this weekend it looks like an old hospital. The only thing more horrible looking is the pile of metal laying on the side of the highway heading to BC.
If you want to make your community more appealing start on getting rid of those eyesores.
Just a last question does the Centre rent out rooms? if it does I bet all of your (empty) taxpaying hotels are thrilled with that.
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