Huntsville Town Council is holding a Special Council Meeting on Monday, August 8 to discuss the acquisition of donated lands for the future redevelopment of Fairvern Nursing Home.
According to a report released with the meeting agenda, Mayor Scott Aitchison met with the owner of the lands at 450 Muskoka Road 3 N – 1901364 Ontario Inc. which is owned by Pat Dubé – to discuss opportunities for the redevelopment of Fairvern on a portion of the property. Dubé owns Greystone Project Management and is a member of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation board of directors.
Fairvern is in dire need of redevelopment – the existing building no longer meets Ministry of Health guidelines and must be completely redeveloped or be closed. (Read a previous story about the need for Fairvern’s redevelopment here.)
The lands in question are near the Huntsville Hospital site (the location of the lands is the red area shown in the map below), an ideal location in the eyes of Fairvern’s Board of Directors. “Relocating Fairvern to lands nearer the hospital will achieve a variety of positive outcomes for Huntsville and Muskoka,” reads the report, “including:
- An expansion of the existing healthcare zone centred on the hospital, reinforcing the importance
of the acute care facilities at the core of the zone; - Minimal disruption of residents of Fairvern while construction is underway;
- The existing Fairvern site would be sold by MAHC, the proceeds of which would be used for
crucial capital expenses within MAHC; - The redevelopment of the existing Fairvern site will generate new property tax revenue for
Muskoka and Huntsville and generate significant economic benefits to the community.”
In exchange for the donation, the Town of Huntsville would complete the required severances and pay the associated legal and survey costs to create the parcel of land. The Town would also contribute $250,000 for construction of a public roadway and associated services from Muskoka Road 3 N to provide access to the future Fairvern site. Any required traffic studies or environmental assessments would also fall to the Town.
The Ministry of Health does not fund the total capital replacement of long term care facilities, notes the report. “The redevelopment will require a municipal contribution of approximately $10 million. The Fairvern
Redevelopment Committee will be making a formal request to the District of Muskoka to partner with the
Town of Huntsville and Fairvern to redevelop.”
The report further states that Dubé is planning complimentary projects on the balance of the lands. “A new Fairvern would be a catalyst for new development on adjacent lands as well which will generate new tax revenues for Muskoka and Huntsville.”
The Special Council Meeting will be held on Monday, August 8 at 9:00am in Council Chambers. Watch for a follow-up story on Doppler following the meeting.
Fairvern’s annual fundraiser Paddle for Fairvern happens this Saturday, August 6.
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This “campus of care” solution is one that has always been favoured by myself and a large portion of our residents. There are, however, two significant items worthy of mention.
1) By brokering this deal, the Town has significantly increased the monies accruing to MAHC upon sale of the existing Fairvern lands. They are also incurring an expenditure of some $10 M toward the new Fairvern. Redeveloping on the existing site yields no financial windfall to MAHC whatsoever. Instead of devoting all this money to “crucial capital expenses”, therefore, I feel that a significant amount should go to their benefactor, the Town.
2) As a further donation from the limited Ontario company, a permanent right-of-way should be obtained; from the southwest corner of the red area to the hospital property. Not only would it provide for ease of access for Fairvern patients (and medical personnel) to and from the hospital; but it would be essential in case of emergency, especially if the helicopter is required.
That being said, this proposed solution was certainly worth the wait.