NEWS photo Pau! McGrath WEST VANCOUVER seniors met Saturday to discuss a care facility proposed for Keith Road. ‘West Van site goes to public hearing Nov. 21 WEST VANCOUVER seniors of modest means will face their final years far from home - if a proposed multi-level care facility for a controversial _ Keith Road site is turned ,_ down, By Matireen Curtis Contributing Writer This was the contention expressed at an information meet- “ing put'on by the Lionsview Seniors’ Planning Society, Nov. 5, -at the West Vancouver Seniors Centre. With the continued aging of the ‘West Vancouver population, and lack of facilities for them, local res- idents will increasingly, find them- selves ‘‘shipped out,” said one older man. Greg. Stump of the Greater Vancouver Regional Hospital District (GVRHD), suggested that the Keith Road site was West Vancouver's last chance at an inter- mediate and extended-care facility within the municipality. “IF we fail to rezone at Keith Road, the GVRHD will leave town,” he said. . . When called on. that statement by a Keith Road resident, Stump qualified the remark, explaining that GVRHD might continue to consider alternate sites that were brought to their attention. The GVRHD would cease to actively look for a site, however. And that kind of delay could be fatal as West Vancouver land prices continue to climb out of reach, said Stump. The GVRHD wants to “bank” the land and build a care facility there in a few years. The Keith Road property is a wooded, mostly undeveloped site owned by the Gordon Gibson fami- ly since the turn of the century, Developers are reputedly show- ing interest in the property. which is zoned for residential use and could accommodate 10 large homes. The GVRHD and its supporters hope the municipality will make a favorable decision to rezone the Jand afier a Nov. 24 public hearing at West Vancouver Senior Secondary --- before the option to purchase runs out at the end of the month. West Vancouver seniors are also hard oressed for 24-hour care ser- vice. The Kiwanis facility, which is the only non-private facility (the others are only partially funded by the government) in West Vancouver, is threatened with clo- sure. West Vancouver has the highest population of people over the age of 65 in the Lower Mainland. Within 10 years, those aged over 85 (many of whom require some sort of care) will increase in num- bers on the North Shore by 80% or about 600, said Stump. “By the year 2001, 220 more extended-care beds will be ~ required,” he added. Currently, there are over 40 North Shore patients occupying expensive beds at Lions Gate Hospital and waiting for placement ina facility. They wait six to 18 months for a placement. According to Lions Gate Hospital consultant Diane Scrivener, the wait for a placement can become an emergency situation as more care-givers become so overburdened with the responsibili- ty of an aging parent that they become ill. Burn-out is overtaking the so called “sandwich” generation of people who are having children later in life and end up caring for them and their parents, at the same time. The need for the proposed facili- ty seemed to be indisputable, but a small contingent of Keith Road res- idents argued that their neighbor- hood could not be the “only” site. But Stump said that the GVRHD had been looking for a spot for [2 years, and had decided that adding more beds to those next to Lions Gate Hospital at Evergreen House would necessitate the con- struction of a new parking garage. Cedardale residents are con- cerned about the impact the pro- posed facility will have on parking. as well as traffic, in their area. One woman said that traffic has already increased in Cedardale with the additions of a Catholic school and church, Klee Wyck and a fire department practise area. Parking sometimes overflows into the streets when there are major events at the church or school, she said. | The residents claimed their area already had taken‘on its share of community facilities. Both sides of the debate thought that the other side had been misled. Those supporting the GVRHD facility said the residents had been falsely led to believe that traffic generated by the 150 patients and 110 staff (in three shifts) would overwhelm the neighborhood. Intermediate and extended care residents don't drive and unfortu- nately enjoy few. visitors. Staff often don’t drive, cither. The Lionsview Seniors“ Planning Society has also conduct- ed a survey in the neighborhood surrounding the West Vancouver Care Centre that they say shows lit- tle impact on parking, traffic or land values in that area, Cedardale residents thought pro- ponents had been misled into think- ing that the new facility would be reserved for West Vancouverites. Scrivener said that the residence of an applicant's caregiver or sup- port system are considered when eligibility decisions are made for placement at a care facility. “Eighty-seven percent of those currently on the waiting list for long-term care on the North Shore are North Shore residents,” she added. FUTON BLOWOUT ictone FUTON pb, > 7 COMeNRE 3800 Includes sole pine scfo beafiare, inale foam core futen, Sconhguarded futen cover, diliows ond puiow covers. 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