January 25, 2023

BRACEBRIDGE RESIDENTS GET LOOK AT 3 NEW HOSPITAL OPTIONS THAT ARE SPREAD OUT ACROSS TOWN

MUSKOKA — MAHC officials say they can live with any of the three recommended new hospital sites proposed in Bracebridge.

All of which they say meet the province’s basic requirement for a 40-acre health-care campus in the next decade.

South Muskoka Memorial Hospital currently sits on 11 acres.

Hospitals CEO and president Cheryl Harrison made that clear Saturday at the Rene Caisse Theatre, in the last of Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare’s six live presentations on a future location down the road.

Meanwhile, this afternoon’s second online information session was a final opportunity — at least for this week and last — for the public to comment right now on its whereabouts.

After today just over 500 residents will have joined them in these eight sessions to comment — averaging about 60 people for each of the 90-minute presentations.

The Rene Caisse auditorium was about half full with maybe 150 people.

A surprisingly low turnout given its importance and the impact on not only Bracebridge, but all of Muskoka.

More than 150 people turned out at the Rene Caisse Theatre Saturday in Bracebridge to hear options for a new hospital site in the town, a surprisingly low turnout consider the implications of the potentially $500 million replacement facility for SMMH.

There’s been no big debate, considering the huge, lasting implications for jobs, housing and potential growth of the town and surrounding communities. Two modern hospitals will aid growth of Muskoka and avoid migration south of the district to centres with larger health-care provisions.

A seemingly lais·sez-faire approach by the local citizenry, some of whom are convinced the decision has already been made and their input is pointless at this late date. Not to speak of the relatively miniscule cost of these public presentations that some argue could go to frontline care.

Hospital officials say they are being transparent and yet open to any sites they’ve overlooked. They will still welcome suggestions and offers of land.

And while there was no general consensus among those attending Saturday, there were more answers provided by MAHC than questions from those on hand.

But there was a lot of grumbling about not being able stand up in person and make queries for all to hear and share.

Online, though, some inquiries could be seen in the form of chat rooms.

The hallway outside the theatre allowed people to engage one-on-one with presenters and MAHC officials to discuss various aspects of the two new hospitals being planned for sometime in five to 10 years.

It’s the way governments do business now, avoiding direct confrontation at the microphones and deferring to one-on-one conversations with presenters including health officials, planners and builders.

Understandable in one sense to avoid long line-ups that too often devolve into lengthy speeches preceding actual questions. A process that can prolong a meeting a great time.

The hallway outside the theatre was empty within 45 minutes.

That problem aside, this type of “information centre” concept doesn’t satisfy most residents’ desire to hear someone pose the same questions they’d like widely heard.

So said Mike and Maureen Webb, of Bracebridge, and Don Clement.

It was all a little confusing for most.

While this first round of public consultation was to be about moving South Muskoka Memorial Hospital elsewhere in Bracebridge, many took it as an opportunity to enquire about relocating MAHC’s other half — Huntsville District Memorial Hospital within its present site — the total cost of the two hospital rebuilds, a local fundraising campaign for Muskoka’s one-third cost share, how health services in each community would be distributed and serviced, the fate of the existing SMMH site ….

And a host of other unrelated topics specific to these meetings.

Clement wondered about private clinics, naming rights and even how the old arena could come into play.

Fair enough.

But the crux of the matter is first where — within reason and good planning — should be the site for possibly the better part of the rest of this century.

Perhaps, agrees MAHC, going public may now open new unthought-of land holdings and offers.

**Hospitals CEO and president Cheryl Harrison, here talking to a couple of residents, says she could live with any of three main identified options.**

Bracebridge residents heard Saturday that health officials have scoured the town end-to-end in search of land tracts large enough to accommodate the minimum Ministry of Health required 40 acres needed to build a “medium-sized” hospital.

Primarily, of course, taking into account its proximity to Hwy. 11 to allow the easiest of access for most Muskokans.

Since most of Muskoka Paramedic Services’ calls are along that highway corridor, it would be a smart move. Also providing better service at least for Gravenhurst and Lake of Bays residents.

Indigenous land talks were also mentioned as being taken into account. As were room for a heliport to transport patients to Toronto for further treatments.

All of these considerations are being examined said presenters at Rene Caisse, who will be weighing the pros and cons in the coming two months.

By late March, MAHC’s move steering committee — headed by board vice chair Dave Uffelman — along with consultant Urban Strategies expect to come up with a recommendation to take the board for approval by mid-April.

Not a lot of time to hear from the public and make the correct decision.

**Option B, the Royale Muskoka lands, had its supporters with room to expand and offer therapeutic open spaces.**

**Hwy. 118, option C, would see it located close to the Muskoka Lumber Community Centre arena and library complex on the west side of town.**

Option A, the Fowler lands near the Walmart and Bracebridge Fairgrounds is just 45 acres and the town already has the option to purchase it.

Many on Saturday liked option B on table for a 200-acre parcel of the controversial Royale Muskoka land. It would be located on the old turkey farm across from Muskoka Brewery on the Muskoka Beach Road just off Ecclestone Drive intersection behind Fenner Dunlop.

Others were partial to option C along Hwy. 118 — 79 acres near the planned Muskoka Lumber Community Centre on the west side of Bracebridge. It would keep the hospital closer to downtown and provide Muskoka Lakes residents with direct access.

The leading candidate, option A, remains south behind the Walmart and adjacent to the Bracebridge Fairgrounds.

It has its supporters with existing infrastructure leading to it now. As well there is a long-standing option by the Town of Bracebridge to purchase the 45-acre Fowler Construction lands, which Urban Strategies vp Eric Turcotte says the company no longer, if ever, used and has deemed no longer of value for aggregate removal.

Therein lays a big part of the decision-making process.

So if a land owner were to donate property, that would definitely tilt the scoreboard in its favour by saving MAHC money and moving it up in the eventual rankings, Turcotte said afterwards.

Similar to the exercise Bracebridge undertook with its Sportsplex (home to the Rene Caisse Theatre) a few years ago when Mattamy Homes donated land and later built a subdivision by it.

The three leading contenders got close-up examinations as MAHC says it still hasn’t closed the door on new land proposals it may have missed. But they will have to emerge soon to be evaluated and considered in the coming months before the recommendation and a final decision is made possibly in April.

Another key consideration is transportation to and from the proposed sites.

One person left a comment that emphasized that: “Access for non-drivers, bus route.”

A couple of other comments on a board with the note ‘Let us know what you think,’ elicited these un-signed words: “The 200 acre property makes sense. We need space to grow.” “The bush and open area are therapeutic for recovery from many ailments. 200 acres — yes.”

And “Port Carling Bala Lakes!”

Another read: “When will a hospital be provided in Almaguin? (Given urban sprawl.) For future increase of population — 10-year growth.”

Along with the easel with Post-it notes to make comments, those who took in the six presentations were invited to continue commenting by use of a survey available on MAHC’s website.

Also provided were handouts with more information and answers to a few commonly asked questions, some of which were shown on a screen during the presentations. It included a couple of questions about the criteria for evaluating the new location and ranking the importance of property location, the land use planning framework and capital and operating costs.

All part of their feedback protocol.

Last April the province provided $14 million to help MAHC modernize and stay open.