In its final meeting, the 2020-24 edition of Trent Hills council found a way to approve a major milestone clearing the path for Jim Curle to finally donate land for a new hospital.
Campbellford Memorial Hospital announced Curle’s offer of 48 acres (19.4 hectares) for a campus of care in 2022, but the legal mechanics to make it possible have proven tricky to negotiate.
But on Tuesday, a way forward was agreed upon that will let Curle farm the land for another couple of years, then permit construction of a 256-bed long-term care facility and soon after a new hospital – Premier Doug Ford willing.
One of the problems has been that the property is prime agricultural and provincial law makes it understandably difficult to develop, even when it is needed for the community.
Several different options have been considered, but many would have required county or provincial approval that would have meant delays. The hope is to start construction of the long-term care facility next year and the hospital by 2030, so there is no time to waste, especially since water and sewer lines need to be extended to the site.
“It has not been as straightforward as we hoped, but we have managed to find a way through all the policies that both bind and support development, to bring the hospital to fruition,” said Planner Cameron Law.
“We have made sure we are providing all the flexibility needed for all the uses that are proposed on the campus of care,” said Jim Peters, Director of Planning. The concept includes affordable housing, office space, restaurants, and the privately owned long-term care facility, so a variety of zoning and controls may be needed.
“This is within the powers of this council to approve and once it is approved it will be in place,” Peters said.
“The next big step is getting the functional services report from the hospital’s consultants, so then we can look at what we need to do and what council needs to do to support municipal services,” Peters said.
Mayor Bob Crate thanked Curle for the land donation and “helping the hospital and our residents realize a dream for a new hospital.”
Councillors unanimously and happily supported an official plan amendment that declares the land a Special Development Area and a rezoning of that area from agricultural to community facility.
The meeting was the last for councillors Gene Brahaney and Daniel Giddings, who are not seeking re-election. It will also be the final one for either Dennis Savery or Crate, or possibly both, since they are running against newcomer Ethan Armit for the Hastings council seat.
Curle was on hand to watch the vote go through. He said he’s happy that the donation can be completed and that he can get a couple more seasons of crops off the fields.
In June, council had approved severing the parcel from the rest of Curle’s farm. It was during discussion with the county about that severance that county staff highlighted the delays the plan faced and suggested the new approach.
“The proposed Special Development Area will create a special set of policies that will allow the Campus of Care to begin its early preparations, such as whether it will pursue subdivision of land or whether it will proceed with leasing agreements with the various involved parties,” said a report by Planner Cameron Law.
It will also allow the municipality to protect a floodplain and brook on the property that flows into Trout Creek.