The recent release of conceptual plans for a new brand new home for the Porcupine Health Unit has caused some big reactions around the city.
A vacant lot at the corner of Vimy Avenue and Theriault Boulevard in the city's north side, near Ross Beattie Public School, will be the site of a 38,000 square foot facility. Construction is expected to begin next spring.
Officials from the health unit cited several benefits to the new site such as increased visibility, privacy, and accessibility. It will be within walking distance of several educational institutions, as well as the Archie Dillon Sportsplex and the Golden Manor. Essentially, the PHU believes the move will better serve the public.
At last week's city council meeting Councillor Rick Dubeau expressed concerns about the move's impact on Downtown Timmins, and inquired about other options to keep the PHU in the city centre.
Current Downtown Timmins BIA Board President Jamie Roach said the news is being treated with 'shock and awe' from some in the community, but the City of Timmins, as well as the BIA have known the move was coming for quite some time.
"It goes back, certainly before my time. They began the process of purchasing this land some time ago. Council knew as well," he said.
On Tuesday, the monthly BIA board meeting will take place and the eventual relocation will be acknowledged.
"Its certainly on our agenda for Tuesday, and we're going to discuss it, and we're disappointed. That goes without saying. That's glaringly obvious I would think. Having said that, as a resident of the community, we have to keep in mind that we're keeping those jobs in Timmins. Its not the 'Timmins Health Unit', where its all ours and we can just decide where its going to go on a whim."
Roach said that there is a minimum of two years left until the new building is move-in ready, and the BIA will have to come up with a strategy to fill the void.
"So there's an opportunity, for everyone involved, to fill that building with something else. Sitting here today, do I know what that's going to be? Of course not. But we have to get past the disappointment and frustration, and roll up our sleeves. The BIA will continue its partnership with the Porcupine Health Unit to promote healthy living, and we'll continue to work with them."
The move has been a concern for the BIA for a long time, but as the organization is not a governance body, there was little they could do.
"We don't really have any say. We can certainly express our concerns, and speak for our members, who are obviously concerned. But now we have to roll up our sleeves and get to work and figure out how we're going to fill that building."
Contrary to what some believe, the BIA area isn't 'dead' as approximately 3,000 people work in Downtown Timmins every day. Roach said that the loss of retail shops, which many people equate to the success of an area, is far from a Timmins-centric issue. He points to the closure of malls all across Canada and the United States as examples. Simply more and more people are making their purchases online, and companies are becoming less and less inclined to take on the financial overhead of renting or owning space.
"So service is the way to go for downtowns. We've got a lot of professionals downtown. A lot of law offices. The banks are downtown. The government is downtown. You've got to attract those service industries and we're going to have another building that is an opportunity for somebody," said Roach.
Although that could prove to be a challenge.
"Its an 80's style building, There are all kinds of issues in terms of accessibility. Its 2017. You can't just grab a tenant, pluck them in a building, and any business can go in any building. There's different legislation that covers different types of establishments."
Conceptual drawing of how the Porcupine Health Unit's new facility will look at the corner of Vimy Avenue and Theriault Boulevard. Andrew Autio for TimminsTodayRoach said that food services would likely take the brunt of the impact, as over 90 people work at the current facility, but he added the Porcupine Health Unit was essentially left with no other options than to build new.
"What building is one floor, and 30,000-plus square feet downtown, or anywhere in the city for that matter? They have a mandate to follow. I know there's been some pushback. I've certainly read some comments on social media saying 'they're too close to the schools', well they want to be close to the schools, and the schools in turn, want them to be close, because they have so many programs for young people."
Roach said he is hesitant to paint the scenario in a purely positive light
"In a couple of years, if we don't find another tenant or find a way to fill that building, it certainly will have an impact. But we have time, and it is positive that they're getting a brand new building, and they're staying in Timmins, and there will be jobs created during the construction of that building. We just have to figure out what we're going to do with that space."
He said many agencies and groups will have to contribute - the BIA, the Timmins Economic Development Corporation, The Venture Centre, and ultimately Timmins city council.
"There are undoubtedly barriers to opening businesses, not just in the downtown core, but anywhere. The city might use a different word than 'barriers', there are rules, there are bylaws. But ultimately if you're a business owner, some of those things are barriers. If council really believes in the Downtown, and really supports the downtown, they are the ones with 'the power' and I use that in quotations, to amend their bylaws, to make changes that make the city more business friendly. Cut red tape. The city can help everybody by providing relaxed rules to encourage business to open, anywhere in the city."
