Gardeners Cath and Theo walk with Cranford Hospice Foundation chairman Chris Tremain (left) at the former site, before it was badly flooded.
Gardeners Cath and Theo walk with Cranford Hospice Foundation chairman Chris Tremain (left) at the former site, before it was badly flooded.
A public appeal has been issued to find an adequate site to build Hawke’s Bay’s new hospice, after the original site was flooded during Cyclone Gabrielle.
Before the February cyclone, Cranford Hospice Foundation had grand plans to build a new hospice on a donated piece of land between Hastings and Napier at a cost of about $15 million.
But after that Chesterhope site was badly flooded, a tough decision was made last month to walk away from it.
People have now been asked to contact the foundation if they know of an appropriate site.
Foundation chairman Chris Tremain said about eight people suggested potential sites before the appeal was even made, which “has been a really good response so far”.
“Next week we will start going to have a look at those preliminarily, but ideally we want to keep considering options.”
He said the need for a new hospice in Hawke’s Bay “remains urgent”.
“More than ever, our community needs a place where we can support our loved ones at the end of life; a place that will provide a hub for palliative care services for generations to come.”
Flooding at Chesterhope Bridge on February 14. Photo / Paul Taylor
Cranford Hospice’s Knight St building in Hastings is ageing and no longer considered fit for purpose. It is also considered too small for palliative care services in the Bay.
The foundation will consider location, accessibility, proximity to services and ground conditions in making its choice for a new site. More than $14m has already been raised for the project.
Tremain said they did not want to rule out any areas for the hospice at this stage, by setting a boundary of where the hospice could go in the region.
“We want to cast the net pretty wide for starters.”
The foundation is open to buying land for the project.
The original plan was to open a new hospice around the end of next year, but that timeframe will likely be pushed out.
A site close to Hawke’s Bay Hospital at the corner of York Rd and the Hawke’s Bay Expressway is one possible alternative for the hospice and has been proposed by a group lobbying for a new hospital.
The group said last month there was room on the 24 hectares for the hospice.
Contact Alesha Hope at alesha.hope@cranfordhospice.org.nz or on (06) 878 7047 to submit a registration of interest if you have a site available for consideration. There is no deadline.
