A petition is being circulated in the community urging Island Health and senior and local levels of government to keep the current Cowichan District Hospital in public hands so it can continue to be used for medical purposes.
Community activist Peter Rusland, who began the petition on July 9, said decisions on the future of the hospital on Gibbins Road should not be left entirely in the hands of Island Health when the hospital closes in 2027 as planned, making way for the new $1.45-billion CDH on Bell McKinnon Road.
He said the community has the right to have a say in the future uses of the facility, which currently has 134 acute inpatient beds.
“Island Health has not said what their plans are for the old CDH and our community has the right and duty to say what we want,” Rusland said.
“The future of that facility should be part of a community conversation and I think it should be kept in public hands and continued to be used for medical purposes.”
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Rusland’s petition calls on the provincial government and Island Health to preserve, re-purpose and recruit staff for future uses of the old hospital, and that it should be partnered with the new facility on Bell McKinnon Road.
The petition says demolishing the current hospital would be unthinkable during the ongoing health care crisis.
“Both hospitals can help meet growing health-care needs of Cowichan and Island residents, plus patients from elsewhere,” Rusland said on the petition.
“Joined by Chemainus and Ladysmith hospitals, Cowichan can become a care and medical-teaching Mecca. With an aging population, opioid crisis, regular emergencies and complex-care needs, our new 204-bed hospital opening in 2027 may be overwhelmed by 2030. Future needs can be met by repurposing our current CDH’s 100-plus beds, and developing its potential facilities and services.”
While its known the old CDH contains asbestos, Rusland said Island Health has acknowledged that asbestos is basically safe if undisturbed.
“Our current CDH had renovations in recent years to upgrade its ER,” he said.
“That safe face lift involved required hazmat protection against any asbestos fibres. It went off without a hitch.”
A statement from Island Health said the health authority is currently solely focused on building the new hospital.
“The existing hospital remains outside the project scope,” the statement said.
“A strategy for next steps will be developed at a later date.”
Rusland said he aims to gather 10,000 signatures on his petition, and currently has more than 200.
He said it isn’t an online petition and he will personally be asking for signatures at events around the community, including the Duncan Farmers Market on Saturdays and during the 39 Days of July in downtown Duncan.
For more information and where Rusland can be found with his petition, contact him at peterrusland@shaw.ca.
