Dear editor,
I find it appalling that we are faced with this ongoing race for control of Glacier View Lodge.
St Joe’s Hospital has for many years been our only hospital and has served us royally. Glacier View Lodge has provided the Valley with outstanding service for many years as well, but now we have a new secular hospital, which will soon be open for business.
GVL has assets (land) surely worth enough to modernize the lodge to acceptable standards. Providence and St Joe’s are faith-based institutions and are firm in their beliefs and practices and not likely to change.
Providence, by its own admission, is not putting any money into the takeover of GVL.
The business of removing GVL from community ownership and placing it into the hands of the bishop and the Catholic church is totally unacceptable by any standards. I firmly believe, it is now time for the Catholic church (St Joe’s) to get out of the hospital and medical business in the Comox Valley and focus on the souls of its flock in the church. If they are indeed interested in helping the elderly, they should consider offering some of their assets (i.e. money) to GV Lodge, with no strings attached, for updating and continued operation as a secular and community based facility. The new hospital will provide medical services, the proposed new secular senior hospice proposal (with MAiD services) and Glacier View Lodge can provide the necessary aging facilities for the Valley. So let’s see if the Catholic church is as pure as it professes and truly wishes to help the needy. St Joe’s services were much appreciated when needed and thank you, but it’s time to move on.
D Veale,
Comox