CFN – Recently CCH put up the General hospital site for sale. For a paltry $2 million dollars you can not only have this amazing facility that saw many more dollars in recent renovations, but have a choice block of real estate in downtown Cornwall Ontario. LINK
However the entire situation is under a cloud of scrutiny and cries of secret deals. A task force was requested by the EOHU as the facility is currently used for chronic care beds; something that the community has an acute shortage of. Instead CCH management rushed forth the sale.
I interviewed EOHU President Todd Lalonde and Andre Rivette recently on the sale of the facility.
Any medical facility could not be rebuilt for this amount of money never mind one of this size and stature.
The core issues are the manner in which CCH management have managed this from the non tendering of the listing to Remax instead of giving other major real estate firms an option on it to the fact that the Hospital would not wait for the community to have a voice in what happens to the facility; after all it’s the public that paid for it.
CCH management are citing the Champlain LHIN as the culprit, but that reeks of shallow politicism and passing the buck. While the LHIN may have input again the city and citizens of Cornwall should also have a voice and options should be considered for what’s best LOCALLY.
There are rumors that there are three developers already in play to snatch up the facility if in fact the sale has not already been made now including a group of Chinese investors (represented by a prominent Cornwall attorney) that have been buying up a lot of choice Cornwall property.
Mayor Bryan McGillis of South Stormont sent in the following comment as well.
This past week it has come to my attention, through news media, that Cornwall General Hospital is surplus.
I have since come to understand that the decision to sell the site was always in the amalgamation plans; this dates back to 2004. I am not aware of the public or the politicians of the day being provided with this information when hospital representatives, as delegations, met with Council requesting donations for the redevelopment of the Cornwall Community Hospital (CCH).
I also understand that the CCH Board has the authority to sell this surplus building and land. Where will the proceeds from the sale of the building and land go? Is it destined for the CCH redevelopment project or its equipment requirements?
It is also my understanding that these beds have been placed at Cornwall General Hospital through arrangements made with the St. Joseph’s Complex Continuing Centre. There obviously is a need!
Long-term bed shortages have been a regional issue for a long time. The Ministry of Health and Long-term Care is familiar with our shortages.
Our country’s age demographics are changing…more of us are getting older! There appears to be an immediate need for more long-term care beds in the area. I expect that this need will continue to increase. I am concerned about these 32 individuals and their future. What will happen if, an alternate site is not achieved? Together as a region, we need to come together and provide input and find a solution for this demonstrated health need.
Bryan McGillis
Mayor
We understand fiscal responsibilities! We also need to be transparent and open in communicating to the public
Our MPP Jim McDonell refused sadly to participate in this interview or issue comment on the subject to CFN.
Well Cornwall what is your opinion? Should the public have a say in what happens to this facility? Should our Mayor & Council be voicing concerns rather than chasing Beavers, Pigeons, Coyotes, and Geese?
You can post your comments below.
We built it,we ran it,we should have a say in it,s sale or not,not this back door dealing that our city & politicians are known for,Our senior citizens are the easiest to scam fully trusting that the politicians of today are the same as in their day,but sadly are only interested in their own previously contribed agenda…..sad really but true !
I just also wish that we could clone politicians like Bryan McGillis
Mayor & Tammy Hart Deputy Mayor,so proud of them for speaking for the majority,they will always get my vote!!!
have you asked to interview the board of the hospital?
Jimmy I have not had a lot of luck chatting with Ms Periard or Despatie and we won’t even talk about Alan Grieg! They have given other comments in other media in which they affix the issue with the LHIN as mentioned in this story.
We can’t afford short-term thinking on the long-term care issue.
Some numbers in this link.
http://healthydebate.ca/2011/03/topic/community-long-term-care/why-have-wait-times-for-long-term-care-tripled-in-the-last-5-years
Great link Jimmy. We will hopefully be covering more issues like this in 2013. For a city that is a destination an attracting seniors Cornwall needs to have proper facilities and care.
Cornwall aside, will a failure to plan be the holocaust of the 21st century?
we shall see.
our governments are broke. it’s not just an issue of the aged.
if we don’t think, if we don’t plan, people will surely die – young and old.
cold, alone, terrified, hungry and in pain.
not unlike many in third world countries whose realities have not appreciably affected us.
Come on Cornwall Speak up this facility is already yours. Cornwall has the funds to take on this Building and make it their own from the sale of Cornwall Electric years ago. The Interest alone can make the payments, with the people of Cornwall to Speak up. This should be mandated for Public input. This is our Town Our Community Our lively Hood. This building can house meny differnt health Clinics, such as chemo- cancer clinics.Skin disorder clinics, mayo clinics, Young and old long term care facilities. The possiblities are endless SPEAK OUT BEFORE IT IS TO LATE. Sincerley A Cornwall resident all my life
Maybe the Hospital is in a deficit as of this upcoming March 31st, fiscal year end and needs a quick $2 million to balance their books
Jamie, can you dig a little more on this issue and let the people of Cornwall know who evaluated this land and building, was it appropriate engineers and or an appraiser with the capacity to evaluate such a building of this magnitude- a HOSPITAL?
Perhaps while you are on the topic you may want to find out what the price tag to date is on this project. Original price tag in 2006 was $58 million, I think the people of Cornwall and the surrounding area should know exactly what the total bill will be for this construction and who will be paying the difference for a new Emergency, Surgical Suites and Diagnostic Department, and a whole lot of renovations for a poor structure that is now already 62 years old with little upgrades since the 50’s. We will still have an old hospital with a few new departments. At this rate which I believe is now standing at a whopping $120 million, we could have built a beautiful state of the art hospital.
WHAT THE HELL?!?!?!?
AGAIN, another example of utter mismanagement with secret agendas. NICE WAY TO SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY AND KEEP THEM INFORMED!!!! I’d say Periard and Despatie can’t do much more damage can they??
The idea of selling the general site way below it’s value and dumping seniors out on the streets buy closing beds is shameful! Then to have the nerve to request another 5-10 million from the LIHN for ANOTHER new building for mental health services at the CCH site is just wrong!!!! Sure new bricks and mortar are pretty but that is the stupidest thing I’ve heard of in these tough economic times!! Get your head out of the clouds and come down to reality. People are no longer falling for this crap. The citizens of Cornwall are a lot smarter than you give them credit for.
It is very obvious and has been for a long time…..the donations are not only dwindling due to the discriminatory hiring practiices at CCH, it is also because of lack of community support by the hospital and bad management decisions.
PLEASE clean house at CCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!