Letter to Islands Trust

Dear Sir/Madame;


I would like to put my oar in to the discussion on the building of a New Health Care facility and the Rezoning of Forestry land to IN3/4 to accommodate this.

I strongly urge the Trustees to consider changes be made to the applicant's proposal before we sacrifice 4 acres of  80 acres of Forestry zoned lands  currently owned by Mr. Bob Rooks. Why are we so willing to lose Forestry lands in lieu of using appropriately zoned lands for these purposes?

I commend the GHCS for pursuing a cistern-only water supply and would be most supportive of this, but there is an offer of a well by Windecker Well Drilling who have identified locations on the site. Knowing the irresistability of a FREE offer, the GHCS would be sorely tempted to take advantage of this generous offer, just as they have tentatively accepted the offer of free land from Mr. Rooks. They have cited the need for a well as back up on their harvested water supply.

I ask the question "If the GHCS Clinic plan has a sufficient secure water-harvesting proposal, is the drilling of a well excessive, and pose risks to neighboring wells?" Or is this another example of the "New Entitlement Expectations" of Canadians that we must have it all at our convenience no matter what the consequences for the neighbours?

As to GCHS supplying Medical Labs and Helicopter Pads and Ambulance Stations in their proposal, all three of these exist already and work beautifully. The duplicating of services and facilities is not only wasteful but also impinges on the jobs, businesses and services already operating on Gabriola.

In the staff report section to the IT, staff reccommends that "IN3 zone seems better suited to this application", siting our aging populations' future needs.Is the overly - generous offer of 4 acres being proposed for future subdivision? Are there not enough existing IN3 parcels in the OCP that already would address Gabriola's future needs for nursing homes and convalescent homes?

I have always thought that the health care on Gabe has been very good. We have a top-notch 1st Responders Team and an Ambulance Society staffed by well-trained and compassionate folks. On top of this we have access to an Emergency Ferry that will take people to Nanaimo when the Quinsam is put to bed. In extreme cases we have a Helicopter Emergency Evacuation that has been used often with great success. I can't count the number of "Smiles " in the Sounder crediting our wonderful Health care provision and staff who regularly save lives. Couple this with the Nanaimo Medical Arts Centre Drop-in Clinic only 25 minutes away that is open 7 days a week , Monday to Friday 9AM to 9PM Saturday, Sunday & most holidays 10:30-5:00PM. Gabriolans have a lot of health care most communities would die for (pardon the pun).

Compared to many rural BC Communities, Gabriola is exceptionally well served ( as was pointed out in the Wellness Survey, conducted recently on Gabriola.) I think of many First Nations rural communities that struggle to get decent housing and potable water - never mind a state of the art health clinic.

I am sure that we will continue to have excellent health care on Gabriola with  a new clinic. However existing businesses and services will be undermined and adversely affected by the relocation of our medical clinic. The loss of tenants from existing rental sites to a purpose built Medical Clinic would not only have impact on the owners of these centres, (creating unused units) but would also impact  the merchants adjacent to the existing offices, who provide meals, snacks and goods within the ordinary commerce of the Village commercial area and in the case of Twin Beaches , the Gym, The Bakery, The Skol Pub Liquor Store, and Gabriola Automotive.

I think our community is, as always generously supportive of good causes. And this is a well intentioned cause with many  positive attributes but also some quite brutal and irreversible consequences; water security, loss of jobs, loss of Forestry lands, and duplication of services. It brings to mind the quote "The road to hell is paved with good intentions". 

Nancy Crozier