Health, Seniors and Heritage

Health Care

This sector remains our largest employer in Port Alberni.  Yet there is always more need as our population starts to grow and continues to age. We need to continue to work on ways to attract more doctors and nurses and open more clinics so that the community has access to the health care it needs when it needs it.

Focusing on quality of life and building great community spaces will make our City a top choice of new doctors and nurses and help fill those gaps.

Seniors

As our population ages, the need for more and expanded seniors facilities will only grow.  We achieved success with the expansion of Rainbow Gardens that is now coming to fruition but we will need more.

We must continue to work to expand the variety and capacity of seniors facilities in our community.

Heritage – McLean Mill – Martin Mars

The changes at McLean Mill have been difficult and have presented challenges, but have also been, I believe, a great success in starting to tap in to the real potential of the Historic Site and the City owned land that makes up the McLean Mill park.

We must continue to build on that success while keeping preservation of the heritage the first priority. As the success builds, I do believe we will see financial return that will allow the City to start to reduce its subsidy to this expensive asset.  We will also see benefit from this unique asset that will turn the cost into a worthwhile investment that pays dividends with every visit and train ride and cruise ship stop.  2019 is going to be a big year!

We must continue to support our amazing museum and work to improve it so that the community and the rest of the world can experience its amazing treasures.

What about the Martin Mars?  I fought hard throughout this term to convince the Provincial Government to contract the Mars.  Unfortunately, those efforts were not successful and it appears the time for the retirement of the Mars has come.

In the next term of Council I want to convene a public meeting to start the conversation about whether we as a City and community should pursue retaining one of the planes as a Heritage asset.