|
|
No need to worry
The negativity in the community surrounding delays regarding the proposed new High Prairie Hospital is discouraging.
Originally, it was hoped construction would begin this spring. While that appears to be out the window, trust us, the deal will get done.
What is frustrating for citizens of High Prairie is they really don’t know what’s going on. Dozens of meetings behind closed doors trying to resolve development issues have kept the public in the dark. Let’s have a look at it, shall we.
In the 2006 provincial budget the Alberta government allocated $29 million for the new hospital. After the government recognized soaring construction costs, they promised to fund any increased costs. At the time, that was estimated at anywhere from $16-18 million so the hospital project is now pegged at about $47 million. Let’s add another $3 million since we like round figures of $50 million.
After months of anguish, Lesser Slave Lake MLA Pearl Calahasen admitted the problems revolve mostly around Highway 2. That was later confirmed by George Keay, who sits on the local hospital committee, Peace Country Health chair Marvin Moore and the developer of the land himself, Nick Shybunia.
In a nutshell, the issue is this. Shybunia and his partners in H.P. Farm Supply don’t feel they should have to pay any dough for improvements along the south side of Highway 2. We agree. That should be Alberta Transportation’s problem.
But they’re balking. Why? High Prairie says 100 per cent of the costs in intersection improvements at Slave Lake and Grande Prairie were paid for by the AT&U, not local developers or municipalities.
So why pick on us? Does someone in Edmonton not like us?
The entire matter doesn’t make any sense. The government already agreed to fund $50 million for the project and they are nit-picking over another $2 million (a figure that’s high to say the least) to make Highway 2 improvements. At this point, for the government to argue over another $2 million is ludicrous.
Besides, at the same time the government said they didn’t have any money they announced a $7.3 billion surplus! And there’s no money!
High Prairie CAO Larry Baran says the problem is that AT&U wants to make Highway 2 from the West Prairie River bridge to the M.D. of Big Lakes corner a four-lane highway, thus creating all the problems.
Whose idea was that?
It turns out AT&U got wind of the idea from a traffic impact assessment study completed by Shybunia himself, which he was required to do when planning to develop the property. It was that report that recommended the four-lane highway.
But why does that small stretch of highway need to be a four-lane road? It’s the only one in town. The nearest stretch of four-lane is at Slave Lake.
Baran is correct when he says there is almost no history of accidents at the current hospital site, which also has a school and restaurant nearby.
“All you’re doing is shifting the location,” he says.
These are the major issues everyone involved in the project are facing. Trust us, this deal will get done. It’s too good a project to not get done.
All parties we spoke with say most of the issues are resolved. We will remain positive by predicting to expect an announcement in a week or two, surely within a month when Premier Ed Stelmach comes to town for an April 28 meet and greet. What a perfect time to make a major announcement!
We’ll just have to be a little more patient.
-C.H.C
Copyright © 1999-2005 South Peace News. All Rights Reserved.
No part may be reproduced without written permission.
View our Privacy Statement.
Send website suggestions to the Webmaster
|
|
