November 9, 2020 City Council Meeting – Item 15 Additional Information on Notice of Motion

From: al and deborah hotchkiss

Sent: Wednesday, November 04, 2020 5:16 PM

To: clerks < clerks@citywindsor.ca>

Cc: mayoro < mayoro@citywindsor.ca>; Francis, Fred < ffrancis@citywindsor.ca>; Costante, Fabio < fcostante@citywindsor.ca>; Bortolin, Rino < rbortolin@citywindsor.ca>; Holt, Chris < cholt@citywindsor.ca>; Sleiman, Ed < esleiman@citywindsor.ca>; Gignac, Jo-Anne (Councillor) < joagignac@citywindsor.ca>; Gill, Jeewen < JGill@citywindsor.ca>; Kaschak, Gary < gkaschak@citywindsor.ca>; Mckenzie, Kieran < kmckenzie@citywindsor.ca>; Morrison, Jim < jmorrison@citywindsor.ca>

Subject: Re: Mega-hospital Motion going to Council on November 9th

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Dear City Council

My husband and I reside at 2168 Victoria Ave in Ward 3. It has been drawn to our attention that a motion from Mayor Dilkens , related to the support for the County Rd. #42 location for the proposed Mega-Hospital, will go to council on November 9th.

We are respectfully opposed to the proposed location. Our reasons are threefold.

1. Historically, when progress is the incentive, the indigent or those less able to advocate their needs are sacrificed. The motion to support the Mega Hospital location at County Road #42, directly favors the mobile population, those persons and/or families who have access to their own transportation. Those less affluent or debilitated will be reliant on the bus system and taxis, the latter being prohibitively expensive given the location of the hospital. It presents an obvious inequity for the lower income or less mobile population affected. Any student who has navigated the bus route from central regions of the city to St. Clair College, knows first hand what a time consuming and arduous ride that can be and the location of the hospital is at a considerably greater distance. Having traveled that route in my youth, I have no false illusion that a bus ride to a hospital on County Rd # 42 is a fair or reasonable expectation for the sick. It is impractical, unkind and empathetically unsound. If we can envision a circumstance outside our comfort zone or norm, we l should be able to see its potential harshness for a mother with children, the elderly, or any single person without 'wheels'. Therefore, I ask that the council factor in what may be less comfortable for our collective conscience when making a decision.

2. On the forefront is climate change, an imminent responsibility for every city, providence, country and person. The carbon budget emissions reduction targets set out in Windsor’s 2017 Community Energy Plan are already aggressive and will be further challenged by this project. I