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Fraser Health seeking input on Royal Columbian Hospital rezoning

Public hearing tentatively set for May 27
RCH
A rendering shows the phasing of the planned redevelopment of the Royal Columbian Hospital site in Sapperton.

The Royal Columbian Hospital site needs to be rezoned in order to proceed with its planned three-phased modernization and redevelopment project.

Fraser Health will be applying to the city to rezone the hospital site at 330 East Columbia St. from P-3 (public and institutional highrise) to a site-specific comprehensive development district (Royal Columbian Hospital) in order to allow for the construction of a new acute care tower as part of the hospital’s redevelopment.

A recent staff report to council outlined the various phases of work planned on the multi-phased project in Sapperton:
* Phase 1, which is currently under construction, provides infrastructure, prepares the site for subsequent phases of construction and includes a new mental health and substance use wellness centre.

* Phase 2 will include a new 350-bed acute care tower with a new and expanded emergency department.

* Phase 3 will include renovations in the existing health care centre and Columbia Tower to improve care delivery on the site.

According to the report, sites for future development may include a new tower with underground parking on the south-western corner of the site (East Columbia Street and Keary Street), where the existing emergency department is currently located, a wellness and innovation zone with underground parking at the north edge of the site along Sherbrooke Street. These components, however, are subject to provincial funding and aren’t included in the rezoning application.

Fraser Health is having an open house about the rezoning of the Royal Columbian Hospital site on Wednesday, April 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Sapperton Pensioners Hall, 318 Keary St. No formal presentation is planned for the drop-in open house, where people will be able to view display boards about the project and ask questions of the applicant.

According to the March 11 staff report, Fraser Health and the City of New Westminster retained a consultant to do a transportation impact assessment and to review transportation considerations for the redevelopment. A draft of the consultant’s assessment is being reviewed by staff as part of the rezoning application process.

Coun. Patrick Johnstone noted that maps of the site indicate emergency vehicle access to RCH is proposed to shift from East Columbia Street to Sherbrooke Street. He suspects the city will get a bit of feedback from the neighbourhood on that idea.

Johnstone also reiterated concerns about East Columbia Street continuing to be the main road that motorists use to access an expanded Royal Columbian Hospital. He noted that most of that traffic is regional, not local.

“East Columbia cannot be the primary road access for the expanded hospital,” he said. “If East Columbia is going to be a Great Street and is going to be a livable, commercial, vibrant street –  it is the heart of the Sapperton neighbourhood –  then the increased traffic load of an expanded hospital and an expanded Brewery District next door to it cannot rely on travel on East Columbia Street.”