Scugog applauds north Whitby selection for new hospital

Scugog is applauding Lakeridge Well being’s alternative of a north Whitby location as potential new hospital web site for Durham.

The regional health-care supplier introduced on Jan. 6 that an skilled panel beneficial a big swath of land in Whitby be protected for a proposed future hospital in Durham area. The positioning covers 50 acres of land south of Freeway 407, west of Freeway 412, east of Lake Ridge Highway and north of Freeway 7/Winchester Highway.

Whitby had been vying for the brand new hospital web site with Pickering and Oshawa.

“I want to congratulate Lakeridge Well being on making the troublesome resolution of choosing a web site for a possible new hospital serving Durham area,” mentioned Scugog Mayor Bobbie Drew firstly of the Jan. 10 committees assembly.

“It is a main milestone within the efforts to draw a brand new hospital to serve the residents throughout our rising area and I’m excited at supporting the efforts of Lakeridge Well being in increasing much-needed well being care throughout the area.”

In a press release, Sharon Cochran, chair of the Lakeridge Well being board of trustees, mentioned, “A proposed future hospital in Durham area will serve all of the communities in Durham. We're happy to just accept the skilled panel’s advice concerning the Whitby web site — this is a crucial step in advancing the event of a brand new hospital as envisioned in our grasp planning course of.”

The provincial authorities hasn’t authorised a brand new hospital for Durham, so Lakeridge Well being officers will quickly be assembly Ministry of Well being officers to debate the matter, the hospital mentioned.

“Lakeridge Well being will start discussions with the Ministry of Well being for a brand new hospital on the premise set out in its grasp plan and advance the subsequent steps within the ministry’s multi-stage approval processes,” the hospital mentioned in a launch.

Cynthia Davis, the president and CEO of Lakeridge Well being, mentioned, “The identification of a web site is a crucial step in supporting the way forward for health-care supply in Durham area.

“We thank the skilled panel for his or her work, and members of the neighborhood and subject material consultants who supplied their beneficial enter all through this course of,” she added.

Lakeridge Well being will begin discussions with Whitby on the subsequent steps within the course of, in addition to additional consultations with neighborhood stakeholders as required.

For extra particulars concerning the web site choice course of, go to the Lakeridge Well being web site at www.lh.ca.

— With recordsdata from Keith Gilligan, Reka Szekely