Update and Comment on Civic Hospital Plans

As you may have read in this morning's Ottawa Citizen, in an editorial board meeting yesterday, Dr. Jack Kitts expressed his views on a preferred location for the new "Civic" campus - suggesting that remaining on the Carling corridor would be his choice.

You can find the article online here at the tail end of this story detailing Kitts' suggestion that we need more nursing home beds:

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Health/Ontario+needs+more+nursing+homes+Kitts/1470950/story.html

You can also get more detail and commentary on Ken Gray's "Bulldog" blog here:

http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/2009/04/06/kitts-backs-carling-avenue-as-new-site-for-civic-campus.aspx




Here's what we've been doing as a Neighbourhood Association:

Before making a specific note on Dr. Kitts' comments, you should be aware of what we've been up to as an association.

Two weeks ago, the CHNA Civic Campus Plan Working Group met with The Ottawa Hospital's VP of Public Affairs, Nicolas Ruszkowski. Keith Hobbs, Amanda Farris, Kate Harrigan and myself participated in this meeting.

The purpose of this session was to 1) get an update from TOH on their recent meetings with Ministry of Health and other officials at Queen's Park with regards to the expansion planning process; 2) understand anticipated timelines as the planning cycle moves forward and where we and other neighbourhood associations will be engaged in the process; and 3) discuss other pressing TOH issues - notably ALC (alternative levels of care) for elderly patients and the strain this is putting on current hospital resources.

The tone of the meeting was consultative, and collectively, we felt TOH is committed to working with community associations throughout the planning process to get this project "right". We are off to a positive start, and want to maintain this positive tone and approach.

That being said, there is no intent to soft-pedal our views, or stop advocating for outcomes that we believe reflect the community as a whole. It has been made clear to TOH by the Ministry of Health, and political leaders, that community consultation will be a critical component of this project moving forward. We will continue to ensure this is upheld.

There were a number of takeaways that came out of this discussion:

1. Legacy of the Site - It was made clear that we believe some sort of health care facility should remain at the current Civic site. What shape or form this takes remains to be debated, and whether or not this remains the respsibility of TOH or part of a larger Champlain Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) healthcare delivery model, is for future discussion;

2. Grant Approval - In terms of timeline for the project, it is important to note that we are still at early stages. TOH has yet to receive a grant to start the formal planning process - although I do believe they are hoping to initiate that sometime in the next few months. Still, even once funding is in place, the process will still take 18-24 months before a formal request goes forward to the LHIN and Ministry of Health as the next step. We are still early days into a process that could take a decade.

3. Next Steps in Community Consultation - We need to continue to expand the reach of this consultative effort, including engaging our partner community associations, and reaching out to the LHIN and political leaders. We have not yet pinned down a date for a next public meeting, but would suggest we do something in May.



Comment on Dr. Kitts' views:

Which leads us back to Dr. Jack Kitts' comments yesterday regarding his preference to have the new hospital site built in the same general area as the Civic Campus - or rather, across the street on Experimental Farm property.

The following comments reflect my personal opinion, not specifically those of the CHNA. Please recognize that your input and thinking is very much appreciated and welcome in the "Comments" section below.

Jack Kitts' candour in making known his views known isn't a bad thing. One of the objectives that many of us would like to see throughout this proceses is openness and transparency from the Ottawa Hospital, and we have that. I do not believe he was trying to be strategic or political in his comments.

I also remain hopeful that the senior management team at the Hospital are committed to getting the plan for the new hospital right -which means meeting not only the objectives of the hospital and their internal stakeholders, but the community as a whole. We’ve already had one open meeting with the VP Planning – Cameron Love, and are in regular contact with Nicolas Ruszkowski as referenced above.

My belief to date is that the various community and residents groups showing an interest in this project, are being given some credit and clout by the hospital executive, and that the TOH end objectives can be met by being transparent, open and consultative throughout the length of this process. I could be cynical and suggest they are only doing what they are mandated to do, but let's take our early progress as positive first steps.

Dr. Kitts comments should also not be perceived to pre-empt what I think all of us in the Civic neighbourhood would like to see - a thorough and consultative planning exercise to ensure the new hospital meets the needs of the community in terms of 1) services offered; 2) ease of access to these services and 3) a planned legacy for the current Civic site.

There is no reason why this project can't be a win for all concerned.

Our open meeting held in January brought forward a diverse number of views – from incorporating the expansion into transit and “densification” plans for the City, to ensuring adequate access to care in a “downtown” hospital. These are all issues that we will continue to push forward, and in part appear to be issues Dr. Kitts addressed in his editorial board comments. Let's take that as a positive sign.

But I would also add that our local community, and our civic leaders, needs to start thinking bigger on this project – and quickly.

As one of two options, a proposal to move across Carling Avenue to the Experimental Farm will be difficult to accomplish. The Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association does not have a specific mandate related to the Experimental Farm, but clearly, many in our neighbourhood care deeply about the property. Again, what is important is that we keep the lines of communication open with TOH and the LHIN, and also work to ensure that all other potential stakeholders - from Agriculture Canada to the City to the NCC are also engaged in an equally transparent manner.

You should be also aware that we will be formally asking the LHIN why an “expansion up” option isn’t being considered. The Toronto General Hospital model has been raised in our local meetings (where they’ve undertaken a major expansion on a small footprint). The current response is that such a project would double the cost of the new hospital. It’s a fair argument, but to rule it out, there should be a formal response as to whether this statement is accurate.


Again, your input and comments are vital to reinforcing the interest our community has in this issue. We've had two very well attended meetings in the past 6 months, and expect the next meeting when scheduled, will have an equally strong showing. Any formal positions that we do take as an association will be table to the community prior to any public meetings, and will be debated publicly.

If you wish to discuss directly, I can reached by email at scottbradleyottawa@gmail.com

PARKING RULES BACK FOR FEB. 23

Had a conversation with Christine Leadman's office today to follow up on an inquiry made by a couple of neighbourhood residents with regards to the parking easements that were put in place for the transit strike.

Regular parking restrictions will be reinstated on February 23rd. By-law officers will be not be issuing tickets, but rather warning notices on this date, and will resume regular ticketing on the 24th.

Start practicing your smiles and tactful negotiating skills now!

Slides from Presentation

Vic Champman was kind enough to convert the slides from the Ottawa Hospital presentation a few weeks back, and I've posted a few of the key ones below for your reference and information.

There is also an article in this week's Kitchissippi Times referencing our Open Meeting. No new news in the past two weeks, but we will continue to keep you posted as the file progresses.

OPEN MEETING PRESENTATION

Just a quick note to for those folks who were in attendance at the Open Meeting last week, and for those seeking more information, that Cameron Love's office has forwarded us a copy of the presentation he made to the CHNA last Wednesday.

I have tried to do a cut and paste so that folks could pull it down off the site, but it doesn't seem to work. If you would like a copy, please send me an e-mail, and I will forward it to you.

We did take it as a positive sign in terms of future communications that the Hospital did commit to provide us with this material, and they've indeed done so.

Relaxed Parking Regulations - Feedback?

Most of you have likely received notice in your mailbox from Councillor Christine Leadman regarding relaxed parking restrictions in the neighbourhood for the balance of the transit strike.

We have received a call from the Councillor's office today just following up to determine if this has been an issue for local residents. Please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Leadman's office directly, or pass an e-mail to scottbradleyottawa@gmail.com if you have concerns. The general sense is that while this may be a minor inconvenience for some, we recognize the extreme circumstances behind this measure.

Summary of Public Meeting

Last evening, the Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association held our open meeting with the Ottawa Hospital and Champlain Local Health Integration Network.

We would like to extend our thanks to those residents who were able to attend the meeting last evening. We had almost 60 neighbours in attendance, and certainly reinforced how important the future of the Civic is to both this community, and surrounding neighbourhoods.

We would also like to thank Cameron Love from the Ottawa Hospital and Chantale Leclerc from the Champlain LHIN for their participation last evening. Yasir Naqvi, our local MPP, was also in attendance, and Kitchissippi Ward councillor Christine Leadman is also closely following this issue.

A few notes:

• Cameron Love made a formal presentation to the audience last evening, that included a review of plans not only of the Civic Hospital, but also of the General and Riverside campuses. There are a significant number of issues and considerations on the table for the future development of health care services as a whole, including how best to provide health care services to the City and to the region, the inadequecy of current facilities and the future demands that are anticipated as the city and region continue to grow. We have asked Mr. Love for a copy of this presentation, and will post it on this site when it is available;
  
• The primary focus of questions and comments related to the future of the Civic site. Two options are being considered at this time by the Ottawa Hospital in the existing plan, and this plan has been submitted to the Champlain LHIN for approval. The current proposals are relocation of the Civic Hospital across the street to a 60 acre parcel of land on the Experimental Farm, or to the corner of Woodroffe and Hunt Club on NCC land across from the Nepean Sportsplex.
  
• The basic argument in favour of a new facility is that the current Civic Campus is far too inadequete to renovate to current and future standards. Similarly, the suggestion of the Ottawa Hospital is that a phased demolition and construction of a new facility on the existing Parkdale and Carling site will be far more costly that building a "greenfield" location. A number of questions arose specifically on this issue - including what data might be available to validate this argument, what could potentially come of the site if the existing facility were moved in terms of continuing health services, and what impact this would have on basic and emergency hospital services for residents in the downtown core and West Ottawa;
  
• There were a wide range of other questions from the floor that resulted from this presentation, including the coordination of expansion plans with the City of Ottawa's master plan and public transit plan, accessibility issues, and the preservation of world class services such as are provided by the Ottawa Heart Institute;
  

Our Position:

• The CHNA is maintaining an active role in the future plans of the Civic Campus. We currently have two members sitting on the Ottawa Hospital Community Access Committee - Keith Hobbs and Kate Harrigan - and will continue to engage in open dialogue with the OH and Champlain LHIN in the weeks and months ahead;
  
• In addition, we have established a Civic Hospital working committee to review this issue.
  
• We have not formalized positions on the key issues related to the existing plan at this point, but are asking for the input of the community in this process. We have also engaged with a number of other local neighbourhood associations, including Carlington Park, Island Park, Hintonburg and the Glebe. These associations will be included in all future open meetings.
  
  
• It is clear that residents of the CHNA would strongly prefer maintaining the Civic Campus at the current location. How this can be achieved will be a large part of our focus as we move forward. We are well aware of concerns that many have with respect to a move out of the neighbourhood. This is a large employer, and many residents of the Civic and surrounding areas are able to live and work in the same area. The Civic and Royal Ottawa also anchor a important medical services strip along Carling Avenue. At the same time, we know that many residents are passionate about preserving the Experimental Farm.
  

Moving forward and how you can become engaged:

• The meeting last evening was a positive first step in maintaining an active and open dialogue with the Ottawa Hospital and Champlain LHIN. All residents feel strongly that we want to ensure best possible health care delivery for the City and the region, but also want to ensure that we are actively part of the process;
  
• The working committee that the CHNA has established can certainly use additional volunteers. If you are interested in participating in this committee, please send an e-mail to scottbradleyottawa@gmail.com indicating your interest. We have been meeting on a monthly basis, but anticipate that we will require a number of research projects to be undertaken over the next few months, and could use the help.
  
• We are still growing our contact base. The easiest way to get updates is to simply register your e-mail on this site and meeting bulletins will be sent directly to you. Otherwise, please forward your e-mail and we will add it to the mailing list.
  
• In addition, both Yasir Naqvi and Christine Leadman continue to be active on this issue, have an open door with the Association, and are always open to views from the community. Please don't hesitate to contact them directly.
  
• Finally, the comment section is open on this site. At this point, we think this may be a great way for residents in the Civic Hospital and surrounding areas to voice your opinions. This will help the working committee out considerably in gauging interest and ideas. We would ask that if you are making a comment, that you keep the tone respectful.
  

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE

CIVIC HOSPITAL NEIGHBOURHOOD ASSOCIATION PUBLIC MEETING
Wednesday, January 21st – 7:00 PM
Civic Hospital Lecture Theatre – 2nd Floor
(Enter at Main Entrance)

As you may have seen in the Kitchissippi Times, the Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association, in conjunction with the Ottawa Hospital and the Champlain LHIN (Local Health Integration Network) will be holding an open meeting on Wednesday, January 21st at 7:00 pm to discuss long-term plans for the Civic Hospital and area health services.

Cameron Love, Director of Planning for the Ottawa Hospital, will be making a presentation. In addition, Chantale Leclerc, the Senior Director of Planning and Community Engagement, and Vivian Thompson, Senior Planner , both of the Champlain LHIN, will be making brief remarks.

The purpose of the meeting is to provide clarity on the overall planning process and current thinking as it relates to the Civic Hospital. Following the presentations, we will have an open, moderated forum in which residents can ask questions of the Hospital and LHIN representatives. The meeting will conclude no later than 9 pm.

We appreciate the effort both the Ottawa Hospital and LHIN have made to support this session, and look forward to hearing from residents on this issue. We do hope you can join us on Wednesday evening.

In addition – we are always looking to strengthen our communications links. We would appreciate your spreading the word over the next couple of days to other area residents that may also have an interest in attending.

Thank you.