Crowsnest Pass Closure of the old Hospital

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.