Kincardine clinic to be named Hawthorne Community Clinic

Kincardine council put forward a few suggestions Wednesday night (May 4), for renaming the Kincardine Community Medical Clinic in honour of retired Bruce Power president and chief executive officer Duncan Hawthorne.

But when the final vote was taken, council agreed on Hawthorne Community Clinic.

Councillor Maureen Couture favoured Hawthorne Community Medical Clinic, while councillor Laura Haight suggested keeping it short and simple with just Hawthorne Medical Clinic. But Couture thought that sounded like a private clinic.

"How about Hawthorne Centre for the Medical Arts?" joked Haight.

Staff will now proceed with new signage and make plans for a dedication of the Hawthorne Community Clinic.

Also in health care, Wednesday night, council has agreed to put $300,000 from the health care reserve toward the studies required to apply for funding to renovate the Kincardine hospital.

April 6, Paul Rosebush, president and chief executive officer of the South Bruce Grey Health Centre which has hospitals in Kincardine, Walkerton, Chesley and Durham, made a presentation to council regarding redevelopment of the Kincardine site.

He said the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care needs more information, including a technical building assessment ($165,000), designated substance and hazardous material ($75,000), quality surveyor/cost consultant ($75,000), and technical and architectural consultant services ($125,000); for a total cost of $440,000.

 

This work is currently under way, Rosebush said, with the information to be submitted to the ministry by July, and a response back by November. Once approved, the project would be a phased redevelopment.

Wednesday night, in committee-of-the-whole, mayor Anne Eadie noted that Huron-Kinloss Township is putting $50,000 toward the cost of these studies. The township is also putting $50,000 over four years toward redevelopment of the Wingham and District General Hospital. The funds are coming from the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) community fund.

"I'm thinking we should put $300,000 toward these costs, from our health care reserve," said Eadie.

"That's a good investment of these funds," agreed Couture. "They're for health care. I support that."

Eadie said that about 10 years ago, when the South Bruce Grey Health Centre was considering a new Kincardine hospital at a cost of about $100-million, the health ministry provided $700,000 to $800,000 to do the initial studies.

"We have to do these studies ourselves," she said. "Otherwise, our application will not be considered."

She said $300,000 from Kincardine and $50,000 from Huron-Kinloss, provides a substantial amount toward the $440,000 cost, so the health centre can get the application to the government by July of this year.

Committee-of-the-whole agreed to take the $300,000 from the heath care reserve for the studies into redevelopment at the Kincardine hospital. That recommendation was later ratified by council.