'It's done' hospital CEO says about site of Windsor's mega-hospital
'It’s a decision made by the hospital and the Erie St Clair LHIN, and it’s done'
The CEO of Windsor Regional Hospital, David Musyj, said there are no doubts that Windsor's new acute care facility will be located on County Road 42.
"It is over," said Musyj, adding that Ontario's minister of health made it very clear on a visit to Windsor Friday that the public consultations for the site were "the best the province has ever seen."
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"When it comes to location he made it very clear," Musyj told Windsor Morning. "It's a decision made by the hospital and the Erie St Clair LHIN, and it's done. He made very clear the ministry and the government does not get involved in the siting of hospitals."
Musyj comments erase any confusion over the mega hospital site. Opponents to the location had argued that it's far from a done deal. Musyj said that's not the case.
But Philippa von Ziegenweidt, spokesperson for Citizens for an Accountable Megahospital Planning Process (CAMPP), said her organization still sees "huge gaps" in planning and public consultation for the site.
"He said it's a done deal, but there's a huge process that has to take place yet," she explained. "Basically it's a farm field right now … so it has to go through the whole zoning process first and that involves making sure the plan is in line with the official plan as well as Ontario planning policy."
Von Ziegenweidt urged community members to "get active" and call their city councillors if they want to express concerns about the location.
"You have decisions being made by someone who is not an elected representative and we'd like to know who is the elected representative who is accountable for this," she said. "There's something fundamentally undemocratic about that."
Urgent care facility
Musyj also reiterated that the urgent care facility has been "a go from day one" and it will be located downtown.
"Where urgent care is going to be located for an interim period of time or permanent immediately is still to be determined," said Musyj.
Hear more about the hospital plans.
He explained the province is looking at some ways to save money on the $2 billion project, so the urgent care facility could be housed at the Ouellette campus or Grace sites, for an interim period of time or permanently, depending on what the best option is moving forward.
Musyj said this is something that was done at other hospitals in the province where older facilities are nearby, and hospital officials are asked to evaluate the options of using some of those facilities to save money.
The urgent care facility will continue to operate once the new mega-hospital is up and running, he said.