A Fraser Health plan to sell off two parcels of land at Eagle Ridge Hospital for townhouses and towers up to 26 storeys has failed to generate support from the hospital’s biggest booster: the Eagle Ridge Hospital foundation.
In a letter to community supporters, the organization responsible for generating millions, including cash for a planned emergency room expansion, stated it cannot support the plan because it doesn’t fit with the region’s long-term health care needs.
“Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation cannot support this plan in its current state,” states the emailed memo dated April. 4 “The proposed redevelopment plan shows no long-term vision for our community hospital, Eagle Ridge, or concrete understanding of re-investment in the greater health services of our growing communities of Anmore, Belcarra, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody.”
The letter — described as an official statement to the community and signed by executive director Charlene Giovannetti-King and Alison Johansen, the board chair — states further that the plan doesn’t reflect “in spirit the original agreement endorsed by the board of directors of Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation” and and says the impacts need to be explained to the community.
Giovannetti-King told The Tri-City News the foundation wants to know more about the plan and is in discussions with Fraser Health, but she wouldn’t elaborate on her organization's concerns.
“We will continue to work with Fraser Health to better understand their plan,” Giovannetti-King said, explaining that the letter was sent out in response to concerns from the public that have been raised in emails, phone calls and face-to-face visits to the foundation.
The letter states the foundation learned about the plan at an open house March 7 — the same time as members of the public — and the foundation shares many of the community’s concerns.
But according to Fraser Health, the redevelopment plan will better utilize hospital land and integrate the hospital with the surrounding community.
In its proposal revealed during the community meeting, Fraser Health indicated that it intends to seek an official community plan amendment to change the land use designation on two parcels, one on the western end, Lot A, and another on the eastern border, Lot B.
The goal would be to change the land designation from public and institutional to multi-family residential to allow construction of market condominium and rental units, but it would be up to a future developer to secure a rezoning, after the land is sold, the proposal states.
Proceeds from the development would allow Fraser Health to “invest into the Eagle Ridge Hospital and other health priorities across Fraser Health,” according to the proposal, which lays out a three-year timeline for public processes and procedures, including applications to the city of Port Moody.
But it is not known how this proposal might change with opposition from the ERH Foundation, which has a long history in the community and has raised more than $22 million to support the Tri-Cities' only hospital.
THE DETAILS
Here’s what the Fraser Health plan for Eagle Ridge Hospital envisions:
• For Lot A, potential redevelopment could include two highrise towers, with a south tower of 26 storeys and a north tower of 22 storeys.
• For Lot B, a mixture of six-and 12-storey buildings, with a three storey townhouse complex flanking the eastern edge of the priority, in keeping with the neighbouring property.
• Traffic concerns would be mitigated by a new traffic signal and a creek would be protected with 15-metre setbacks.
