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Concerned Citizens of King Township

23 hours ago

Newmarket’s Southlake launches search for new hospital. - NEWMARKET ERA by Lisa Queen - Nov. 4/24
Southlake Regional Health Centre is taking its search for a site to house a new hospital to the public.
On Nov. 4, Southlake launched an open call for proposals to identify at least 40 acres of land within 17 kilometres of the existing hospital at Davis Drive and Prospect Street.
That stretches, for example, to just west of Schomberg in King Township, just south of Scanlon Creek Conservation Area in Bradford West Gwillimbury, or south of Ravenshoe Sideroad and Woodbine Avenue in Keswick.
It could also include a location along the future Bradford Bypass.
Southlake’s criteria for a new spot includes looking at growth projections, land use planning, access to major transit arteries, and more.
Southlake Regional Health Centre is taking its search for a site to house a new hospital to the public.
On Nov. 4, Southlake launched an open call for proposals to identify at least 40 acres of land within 17 kilometres of the existing hospital at Davis Drive and Prospect Street.
That stretches, for example, to just west of Schomberg in King Township, just south of Scanlon Creek Conservation Area in Bradford West Gwillimbury, or south of Ravenshoe Sideroad and Woodbine Avenue in Keswick.
It could also include a location along the future Bradford Bypass.
Southlake’s criteria for a new spot includes looking at growth projections, land use planning, access to major transit arteries, and more.
“Building a new hospital will transform Southlake into a multi-site heath system that may require staff and patients to travel between the two locations,” Southlake said in an email.
“The 17-kilometre radius included in the mandatory criteria balances all these priorities against a reasonable likelihood for success in identifying a property suitable to achieving our objectives.”
It is suspected going beyond a 17-kilometre radius could encroach on other hospitals’ catchment areas.
The preferred site is expected to be unveiled in the first few months of 2025, John Marshman, vice-president of capital facilities and business development, said in a statement.
“While it generally takes eight to 10 years to plan and build a new hospital in Ontario, our work to chart the next 100 years of care in our communities is well underway and we look forward to announcing a successful proponent in the spring,” he said.
Southlake isn’t able to provide an expected dollar figure for the land but it may not get the sweet deal it had been hoping for.
Developer Michael Rice had offered Southlake a parcel of land in King Township, just on the other side of Newmarket’s western border for a nominal price, as part of his plans to build a large subdivision.
However, that plan died when Premier Doug Ford backtracked on his decision to open up the Greenbelt to development.
Farmland in northern York Region currently costs between $18,000 an acre ($720,000 for 40 acres) and $40,000 an acre ($1.6 million for 40 acres), depending on location, said longtime realtor Wasim Jarrah, a broker with Concierge Realty Group.
It’s also possible Southlake could redevelop a site already in use.
Criteria for the new site includes:
• The ability to create a heliport for the new hospital.
• That it be outside the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine
• Recent environmental reports demonstrating there is no known soil or groundwater contamination.
• Land that isn’t within key natural heritage features or in areas that would prevent the development of a hospital.
• Must be able to be serviced within the next five to seven years for water, sewage, natural gas, electrical and communications infrastructure.
• The site has no known archeological or other impediments to development.
Southlake serves one of Ontario’s fastest growing and aging populations.
It has stretched its capacity to serve patients in half the space required by today’s standards, the hospital said in a statement.
“Since 2003, the number of patients visiting Southlake has more than doubled, meaning a new patient arrives at the emergency department every four and a half minutes,” president, Dr. Paul Woods, said.
“Relieving pressure at the Davis Drive site is critical, which is why we are initiating an open call to identify land to help transform Southlake into a multi-site health-care system.”
Interested landowners are invited to review the detailed proposal call document and electronically present a submission to newhospitalsite@southlake.ca by Jan. 15. For more information, visit southlake.ca/newhospitalsite. ... See MoreSee Less

Concerned Citizens of King Township

1 week ago

Learn more about the Bradford Bypass here.

rescuelakesimcoe.org/bbp/

Sign our petition:

chng.it/yyCn5NN9mY

#stopthebradfordbypass #BradfordBypass #lakesimcoe #highways

STOP the Bradford Bypass Alliance for a Liveable Ontario, York Region Environmental Defence Canada ... See MoreSee Less

Concerned Citizens of King Township

1 week ago

𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘉𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘉𝘺𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 '𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪'

"...The Bradford Bypass’ background studies are complete, but questions remain, and a number of important authorizations have not yet been granted..."

Press release from Bradford Today .

Read more here:
rescuelakesimcoe.org/press-releases/

#BradfordBypass #stopthebradfordbypass #development #ontario #protectourlakes #waterquality #highway #hollandmarsh #traffic ... See MoreSee Less