Now that the hospital issue is settled, more or less, I offer my observations on the situation.

The property in question is/was owned by (the Sisters of St. Joseph).

Over the past few years, the city had indicated an interest in the property, with the provision that the province would fund the demolition of the building, leaving empty land that could then revert to parkland, like the rest of the Bell Estate.

As one who prefers a civil society over a consumer society, my preference is the parkland, but that is not how we Canadians have chosen to live.

With our votes, we have chosen to be “Yankeeland North.” So, what about the hospital? From what I hear and read, the developer who is buying will be building something suitable to the location, and as I understand it, will also need city approvals.

Thus we should end up with taxpaying property which hopefully will fit in with the area, as opposed to paying to demolish a building and ending up with an expensive lot.

As a final observation, if I can trust quoted comments in the papers, there are those in city employ who are whining about the loss of the land.

Seems to me that at the many council meetings I have attended over the years, some of these same voices have but one refrain, be it over the proposed Performing Arts Centre, or even the “closer to the people” Sports Complex — we can’t afford it.

Folks, we cannot blow and suck simultaneously. Let’s be adult, and do what is doable, and do it well.

E.T. Hermikari
Greater Sudbury