Councillor Craven bush-whacks hospital president at Standing Committee meeting. Why?

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

November 19, 2014

BURLINGTON, ON

Boy – did he ever bush whack the guy!

Eric Vandewall, president of the Joseph Brant Hospital strode into a city council Standing Committee meeting with great news. The company that was going to build the new hospital had been selected; the financial advisors were in place and the province was on side.

It had been quite a haul from the day that a Minister was supposed to show up with a cheque in hand got stuck in traffic and Vanderwall was left sucking his thumb.

 

An architects rendering of the new entrance to the Joseph Brant Hospital whch will now face the lake.  The entrance will be off LAkeshore Road with the new parking lot just to the west of the hospital.

An architects rendering of the new entrance to the Joseph Brant Hospital which will now face the lake. The entrance will be off Lakeshore Road with the new parking lot just to the west of the hospital.

Yesterday Vandewall was telling Council how far the hospital had come with the redevelopment project. Something called the Integrated Team Solutions (ITS) will design, build and finance the hospital’s redevelopment and expansion project.

EllisDon will do the actual construction; – Constructor; Fengate Capital Management – Financial Advisor; Parkin/Adamson Architects Limited – Architects in joint venture.

Vandewall was there to justifiably boast about the new seven-storey patient care tower; 172 new beds; a new Emergency Department, nine new operating rooms, a post-anaesthetic care unit, a new and expanded Cancer Clinic, expanded ambulatory care programs, a renovated level 2B Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit, expanded Diagnostic Imaging Services, expanded medical, surgical and outpatient services and a new main entrance.

It was a summy summer day and a provincial government minister was on her way to Burlington with what everyone thought was going to be a cheque for the hospital in her purse.  She didn't arrive - then there was an election and that Minister lost her seat - still no money.  But the cheque did arrive on Friday and the smile hospital CEO eric Vandewall was wearing this sunny summer day is the smile he is wearing today.  These things take time.

It was a sunny summer day and a provincial government minister was on her way to Burlington with what everyone thought was going to be a cheque for the hospital in her purse. She didn’t arrive and hospital president Eric Vandewall sent all his guests home. 

Few realize just how much Vandewall has done since he first got the funding needed to re-build a hospital that had a terrible reputation and was nowhere near the standard the public needed and expected. He had more than a fair share of stick handling to get to the point he was at Tuesday when he told Council he expected to see shovels in the ground Spring of 2015.

That’s when Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven began asking questions: Were you aware asked Craven “that the final site plan is not in yet?” Without site plan approval a building permit can’t be issued.

ITS is responsible for that was Vandewall’s response

MTO has not signed off on the interchange advised Craven. A building permit can’ be issued until MTO signs off.

Were you aware of the neighbourhood issues asked Craven; drive ways on the north side of the hospital property as well as visuals.

Craven wanted to know if Vandewall was aware of the procurement for three different designs

Craven closed his questions by reminding Vandewall that a public meeting was required and that hospital approval was un-delegated – which meant approval comes from Council – not staff.

Vandewall agreed that he and Craven should get together and talk. That is going to be some conversation.
The re-development of the hospital is the biggest project the city has on the go and while it is located in ward 1 – it is a city wide concern.

For the ward council member to bush whack the president of the hospital in public like that is very unusual to say the least.

Where is the Councillor getting his information and why did he have to put Vandewall on the spot like that?

Vandewall and his team had additional good news.  The hospital foundation part of the fund raising is going very well; they have raised 65%  of their goal and have $40 million in hand.

Taxpayers are putting up half of the $120 million the province said we had to raise and the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation is raising the rest.  Vandewall said the hospital will open sometime in late 2018 or early 2019.

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5 comments to Councillor Craven bush-whacks hospital president at Standing Committee meeting. Why?

  • John Sweeny

    Mr Smith, comparing the Hospital improvements to the Pier is ridiculous. I truly hope that this is not the same James Smith that ran for Council. If so then, I’m glad you were not successful.

    Mr Rusin, I would strongly disagree with your assessment of Mr Craven’s approach. The points that he made were about him demonstrating that he can razzle dazzle with the best of the bureaucrats. It would be more appropriate for the questions to be phrased something like, “How can Council help you through some of the steps?” or, “Is there anything that we can do to support the activity?” Taking shots is not useful or valuable to the residents of this City.

    FOUR MORE YEARS!! Yikes!

  • tenni

    I agree that I am surprised that a Burly person would advocate closing a city hospital and send people out of town for all hospital care!!! The failure to fulfill certain technical aspects before building permits are granted is a technical aspect. Bush wacking is intentional and not very conducive to create unity and harmony for a basic need such as improving the hospital. Friction is more than likely going to happen or is there just under the surface.

    What does ITS stand for? The writer should inform the reader. MTO is probably known by most readers..but ITS?

  • Glenda Dodd

    Burlington has a Performing Arts Centre. A wasted Pier. LaSalle Park Marina is looking to have the City back a not needed expansion (serves no one but a few hundred boaters). Yet the above feels a hospital should been moved to Oakville or Hamilton. Please…When will Craven be as concerned about over intensifying our residential streets and downtown core. Craven is concerned about visuals, give me a break, what about downtown visuals, not his ward, not his concern. Jo Brant is a Burlington Hospital, services Burlington and with the intensification Rusin is promoting it is one of the draws for people, I would not have wanted my mother to take a trip to Hamilton or Oakville when she needed immediate hospitalization.

  • Peter Rusin

    Craven is doing his job to promote transparency. These type of actions like Craven took in a public meeting help keep people and process honest and accountable, especially on a high profile high cost project such as the hospital. Vandewall gets paid well for what he does, and what Craven said should have formed part of a more complete and less politically flavoured announcement. Now we all know a bit more, thanks to Craven.

  • James Smith

    Like the Pier, Burlington has never seen a bad idea to waste money on they would not approve, while good ideas go begging. This plan should never have been foisted on the City. Jo Brant should have been closed years ago and care moved to Hamilton and Oakville.