Joel Harden
The new Civic Hospital project at Dow’s Lake is not a done deal. We are speaking up and it’s making a difference. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!
On September 1, we held a virtual town hall to inform residents about this project and offer them space to voice their opinions. The event was well attended but what we heard was alarming.
People are deeply concerned by the current proposal and the lack of consultation accompanying it. At risk are 524 trees, Queen Juliana Park and delays for people with disabilities. At issue are congested local neighbourhoods that are unprepared for a new surge in hospital traffic. There is no serious plan for transportation to this site.
Councillor Shawn Menard has since asked all Ottawa Centre MP candidates to state their position on the proposed Civic Hospital. Two have come out clearly against the current proposal and a third is suggesting federal legislation to protect the land in question.
That’s a significant shift from 2016, when every provincial and federal politician remained silent as a closed-door process announced Dow’s Lake as the site for the new Civic Hospital.
Construction doesn’t start until 2024, so we have time to insist on change. As people are seeking your vote, ask them if they support the current Civic Hospital plan.
Ask them if they want over 500 mature trees ripped from Ottawa’s tree canopy. Ask them why an airport-sized parking garage, across from the Rideau Canal UNESCO World Heritage Site, is being proposed as we grapple with a climate emergency. Ask them why a comprehensive NCC report involving over 7000 citizens was ignored.
Let’s insist on transparency and sustainability for the new Civic Hospital.
I will be writing to Cameron Love, CEO of the Ottawa Civic Hospital, to relay the feedback we received from our September 1 town hall. I will be asking for the evidence behind the decision to locate this project at Dow’s Lake.
Sign up for our e-newsletter at joelharden.ca and stay tuned for further updates.