There is currently no enclosed place at the Kootenay Lake Hospital to wait for the bus on a cold and windy winter’s day.
The old entrance lobby used to be used for that purpose but now it’s closed to that need because it’s used in part for the hospital’s COVID station.
Since 2021, I’ve been working to see an enclosed bus shelter built on hospital grounds or nearby for the purpose of protecting not only ordinary riders but also patients leaving the hospital and taking a bus, some insufficiently dressed to wait unprotected on a cold, windy day.
Contacted were the hospital administrator Jackie Malcolm, BC Transit officer Seth Wright, our NDP MLA Brittny Anderson, the mayor and council of Nelson, and Janice Morrison, the RDCK director for the City of Nelson.
Wright informed me that the city is eligible for government grants, both federal and provincial for this purpose. The impression given by BC Transit is that they can’t get involved because the hospital is private property.
Malcolm reached the City of Nelson to ask them to finance the shelter but the city refused.
MLA Anderson expressed her support for the initiative, while Morrison twice tried to reach the hospital administrator.
However, what’s needed is someone in government or government services with good will and expertise to undertake the management of this idea in order to bring it to fruition.
No one seems interested.
We are continuing to campaign for this much-needed proposal, and hope this election will bring forth that committed co-ordinator, as well as looking forward to bus riders and municipal and provincial tax payers raising the issue with candidates.
Note: There are enclosed bus shelters at the mall and at nearby Safeway.
Phil Mader
Nelson