The announcement that the new Comox Valley hospital will be built within the Crown Isle development is being greeted favourably by a number of business leaders.
The site for the new 150- to 160-bed Comox Valley hospital will be on Crown Isle lands north of Ryan Road.
The Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) has agreed to purchase a 15-acre site from Silver Sand Land Corp. 鈥� Crown Isle 鈥� with an option for an additional five acres.
The finalization of the sale is awaiting funding approval from the provincial government.
鈥淲ith this announcement, this truly moves Crown Isle forward as one of Western Canada鈥檚 premier communities,鈥� Ron Coulson, one of the development鈥檚 two owners, said in a press release. 鈥淢any developments show great vision and promise; ours has now become a reality. The Comox Valley hospital, combined with Costco and additional commercial developments, plus new residential subdivisions, could very well bring over $750 million in new construction within Crown Isle over the next few years.鈥�
The economic spinoff will benefit the entire Comox Valley by providing an opportunity for businesses and for people to live, shop, ski, fish, fly and play golf 鈥� all within a few minutes from their homes, noted Coulson.
Jason Andrew, Crown Isle鈥檚 director of real estate, believes the new hospital will bring 鈥渢remendous awareness鈥� to Crown Isle and the rest of the Valley.
The Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce believes the site on Ryan Road will be a cornerstone in the future viability of the Comox Valley, providing the link between education, jobs and health care.
鈥淲e are very pleased with the location that VIHA has chosen for the new Comox Valley hospital,鈥� Chamber president Jeff Lucas said in a press release. 鈥淭he opportunities to create connections within the community and particularly with North Island College (NIC) mean a major boost to the local economy.
鈥淟ocal businesses of all kinds will benefit from the influx of medical professionals and students who will seek out this hospital as a place to learn while the community continues to receive top-notch medical care all within a state-of-the-art facility.鈥�
The Chamber of Commerce feels the proximity to NIC is key, as the new hospital will become a teaching hospital for health care students at NIC.
Locating the site in Courtenay does not have any direct tax benefits for Courtenay, as hospitals don鈥檛 pay taxes, but Mayor Greg Phelps of Courtenay feels there could be many spinoff benefits for the entire Valley.
鈥淚t鈥檚 no net loss for Comox and no net gain for Courtenay,鈥� he said.
鈥淗owever, it is a proven fact that people like to be close to the hospital. When the bigger hospital is built, we hope to attract more specialists. They鈥檒l either move to Courtenay, Comox or Cumberland, so the whole Valley benefits.鈥�
Phelps has heard mostly positive feedback about the site location.
鈥淐ertainly, there are concerns to address about traffic issues, but I鈥檓 really glad to say almost everybody has taken the big picture that it鈥檚 good,鈥� he said.
writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com
