More questions and concerns regarding the proposed location of the hospital project in Windsor-Essex.

On Tuesday, Citizens For An Accountable Mega-Hospital Planning Process along with the Ontario Health Coalition, Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, the local chapter of the Council of Canadians and Windsor On Watch held a public meeting to discuss the location and the impacts the new hospital will have on the downtown core and west-end.

Natalie Mehra is the Executive Director of the Ontario Health Coalition.

She says it’s fine to build a new hospital that’s accessible to the county but is also concerned with what it means for the downtown core and west-end.

Mehra says the coalition would like to see comprehensive services such an emergency department, acute care beds and in patient beds remain in the downtown core.

She says the groups are looking to save comprehensive services for downtown Windsor.

“That means an emergency department, that means in patient beds, acute care beds,” says Mehra.  “That means chronic care beds and palliative beds for people who are dying and who are in for long term so that they’re accessible to people’s families, birthing, the range of services that are needed in the downtown core.”

She hopes the proposed hospital becomes a provincial election issue.

“We want to hear commitments from all three political parties that they will save a comprehensive range of services including emergency services, in patient beds, long term beds and services associated in the downtown core of Windsor,” says Mehra.

She feels changes can still happen and doesn’t believe the current plan with the proposed location is a done deal.

The proposed state-of-the-art hospital will be on the city’s edge at County Road 42 and the 9th Concession.

Back in December, Health Minister Eric Hoskins confirmed a commitment to a downtown Urgent Care Centre.

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