Community News

COUNCIL POSTPONES SUPPORT FOR MCNALLY EXPANSION

COUNCILLORS EXPRESSED A WISH TO CREATE CRITERIA FOR DEALING WITH FUNDING REQUESTS FROM COMMUNITY GROUPS BEFORE AGREEING TO HELP THE HOSPICE FURTHER

ABBY GREEN agreen@metroland.com

A lengthy discussion ended in a near-tie as Grimsby council discussed contributions to upgrades at McNally House Hospice.

At the Committee of the Whole meeting on Jan. 16, council saw a presentation from the hospice's executive director Pamela Blackwood about McNally's expansion.

In her presentation, Blackwood explained that the expansion was necessary, as 32 people were not able to access services in 2022 because a bed was not available.

The new facility near the new hospital would be a new 10 bed residential hospice, which would increase capacity by 70 per cent.

The existing facility would be turned into a day hospice.

"In 2022, over 450 people used McNally's psychological, spiritual, and bereavement support programs, which exceeds our current capacity," she said, adding that the new space would have an overnight suite, family rec room, outdoor spaces, new memorial garden, and family spaces.

Planning and fundraising for the expansion started in 2017, with a goal of raising $9.5 million. So far, they've managed to raise 78 per cent of their goal.

Their ask to council was a promise of $132,000 funding, or $33,000 per year over four years.

Some councillors, however, felt that if they said yes, it would open the floodgates for other organizations to ask for money.

Councillor Delight Davoli said she supports what happens at McNally House but feels projects like that should be funded by the province.

"I struggle with these requests that come ad hoc from groups that do so much good work," she

said. "Should municipalities be involved in these sorts of things? I realize we did the hospital, but I become concerned about the slippery slope we go down."

"We need to step back as a council, and see what our other priorities are," she continued. "We need to be able to assess how we deal with each of these requests that come through."

While Coun. Jacob Baradziej agreed with the idea of creating criteria for dealing with funding requests, he didn't want to delay helping McNally.

"I agree with my fellow councillors here, I think we definitely need processes of qualifications for things like this. But to me, the McNally House is something that would meet those qualifications and I would like would very much like to continue on his history of supporting the cause," he said.

Davoli put forward a motion to refer it back to staff, and have council revisit the issue around budget time, and create criteria to manage these funding requests moving forward.

Davoli, along with Couns. Don Howe, Lianne Vardy, Veronica Charrois, Jennifer Korstanje, and Baradziej voted in favour. Couns. Reg Freake, Nick DiFlavio, and Mayor Jeff Jordan voted against.

COUNCIL

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2023-01-26T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-01-26T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://communitynews.pressreader.com/article/281638194336536

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