445 replies to this topic

[G-Man]

Also the reason I would want this on the corner is that we could look at actually beginning to create a street face on that part of Fort. Of course that area could make a nice park if done properly.

[Mike K.]

Jubilee tower awaits approval
Health authority hopes to see completion of 500-bed facility by 2010

BY CINDY E. HARNETTTimes Colonist staff

The doors to Royal Jubilee Hospital’s 10-storey tower should be open and patients in their beds by 2010 if the health authority’s plans remain on track.

A plan for the $300-million, 500-bed facility is before the provincial Finance and Health ministries, waiting for a green light.

Health Minister George Abbott has designated the project a high priority and its capital funds were earmarked in the recent provincial budget.

If the Vancouver Island Health Authority has made its case for the project and it’s approved next month, requests for proposals to build the facility could go out in June, said Suzanne Germain, VIHA spokeswoman.

On that timeline, a preferred builder would be selected by the fall, negotiations would ensue and the contract would be “signed, sealed and delivered by the end of the year.”

[...]

[Mike K.]

Comment from Apr 18, 2007 TC.

VIHA should keep doing what its doing. Why involve local politicians who will only drag out the project and bicker about its particulars?

Besides, what do our politicians have to show from the facilities they helped mold? The arena? The conference centre? The financial difficulties of Dockside? The Saanich/Victoria police stations? Given their track record, perhaps our healthcare facilities should be protected from our local politicos who have a collective knack for [url=http://www.vibrantvictoria.ca/articles/0006_1.htm:b69ee]underbuilding[/url:b69ee].

Building a hospital together
Everyone one involved in planning for a new 10-storey patient tower at the Royal Jubilee Hospital needs to start working harder at making this a true community-based project.

The new acute care facility is badly needed, both to add capacity and replace aging rooms. There should be universal agreement on that point.

But there is growing tension between the Vancouver Island Health Authority, the lead planner for the project, and regional politicians who will be asked — on behalf of municipal taxpayers — to cover 40 per cent of the estimated $300-million cost.

The politicians say VIHA has not provided enough information and denied them any role in the planning process. Some are particularly concerned that the new tower will be built as a public-private partnership.

[...]

[Galvanized]

If I were pitching in 120 million bucks I'd want a say in it too.

[Mike K.]

As a tax payer supplying a portion of that $120 million municipal levy, I trust my health authority to put it to good use and build what is necessary for my community and myself.

[Saanich Panhandler]

If anyone is interested in this project they should attend the Camosun Community Association general meeting this Thursday 7pm in fisher 100 at Camosun College. VIHA will be presenting the project to the neighbourhood.

[Mike K.]

Thanks, Saanich Panhandler.

Is that Camosun Lansdowne or Interurban?

[G-Man]

The government is not going to build a hospital that has no use. We need this facility so where is the concern? Or does this link back to the pull up the drawbridge idea? If we don't let people in then we don't have to worry about building bigger hospitals.

[Galvanized]

Let's not confuse the issues here.

The CRD board needs to look past the P3 thing but should be able to be more involved in planning the thing, it's their (our) money, they should have some say at least.

The neighbourhood also has to realize these beds are needed and that you can't shut down the current beds to do it as they want the tower on the Fort St side and that 20 years down the road that's where the future 15 story tower will be. There will also be more parking on site after this is all done.

[FunkyMunky]

Is that Camosun Lansdowne or Interurban?

The presentation is noted on the Camosun Community Association's [url=http://www.camosuncommunityassociation.com/:f7886]website[/url:f7886].

The Fisher Building is at the Lansdowne Campus, 3100 Foul Bay Road. It's building Number 10 on this map.

[url=http://www.camosun.bc.ca/about/campus-maps.html:f7886][/url:f7886]

[Galvanized]

An update, the tower is 9 stories with the 10th as penthouse mechanical. 2 wards per floor which are composed of pods. The section facing Richmond is thin and is separated and the section that attaches to the D and T Centre has an atrium that will fill that part with natural light. They are shooting for LEED silver, 500 beds are including mental health from EMI.

[concorde]

Galvanized, to answer your question:

HL Demo is currently completing asbestos abatement and complete demoltion to the old Bay Pavilion located at the SE corner of Richmond and Bay. The site will be backfilled and made into a gravel parking lot when they are done.

VIHA also has tenders out for consultants to demo another 5 buildings at RJH, but I am not sure where they are.

I suspect this is all part of early planning for this new building, but who knows if I am right...

[renthefinn]

I hate the idea of my tax dollars going to a midrise structure. It's dispicable that we can waste our space like this, when we can do things more efficiently, probably improving everyones health (nanoscopically) in the process.

[Mike K.]

Here are renderings of the project:

[G-Man]

What is the square footage?

[Baro]

Can anything with its two horizontal dimentions being far greater than its vertical really be called a tower?

[Holden West]

^I was thinking the same thing. I was visualizing something more slender although I see this as being more efficient. Hospitals are a case where "form follows function".

Maybe we should call it a "lower". Rhymes with tower.

[Saanich Panhandler]

That is not the design presented to the neighborhood associations not even 2 weeks ago. I hope they didn't change it to that as what they had earlier is far superior.

[G-Man]

Those very well could be old.

[Ms. B. Havin]

In today's T-C "Business" section, [url=http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/business/story.html?id=1b19efd2-9b48-495e-93b6-b9ca5db42616:4a6f1]Premier preaches free enterprise[/url:4a6f1] by Jeff Rud, on Campbell's talk yesterday at the International Open Shop Construction Conference in Victoria. (See the IOSC conference website [url=http://www.iosc5.com/:4a6f1]here[/url:4a6f1].)

Key bit also of interest to Royal Jubilee project:

"One of the fundamental beliefs of our government is that a free-enterprise economy, an open, competitive economy, is critical to maximizing values for taxpayers,'' the premier told the receptive gathering of U.S. and Canadian members at the Ocean Pointe Hotel.

Along those lines, the B.C. Liberal government is convinced that public-private partnerships (P-3s) are the way of the future when it comes to building large infrastructure projects, Campbell told delegates between standing ovations.

Such P-3s have already resulted in taxpayer savings of $39 million on the new Abbotsford hospital project and $17 million on an academic ambulatory care centre in Vancouver, the premier said.

A couple of hours later, Campbell confirmed that the new 500-bed tower at Victoria's Royal Jubilee Hospital will also be a P-3.

"We're getting about 10 to 15 per cent -- in terms of value-added -- by going with a public-private partnership over what I would call the traditional model,'' Campbell said.

"And I think that's something that we have to learn from.''