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Waterloo Chronicle (Waterloo, On1868), 14 Nov 2001, p. 3

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It would also end the advocacy on behalf of the frail, sick and vulnerable that the existing board has been pursuâ€" ing over the past year ever since it learned local funding would be frozen at last year‘s level, leaving the CCAC Norma Marossi, board chair, said she was surprised by the specifics of the draft legislation introduced last week by Associate Minister of Health, Helen Johns, entitled "The Community Care Access Corporations Act, 2001. The most controversial element of the new legislation would see the province appoint members to what was once a volunteer position on the board, raisâ€" ing questions about the independence of the boards controlling the province‘s 43 CCACs. Current board members claim these provincial appointees would be beholden to the government and ignore the needs for improved service in their respective communities. he board of directors of the TCommunity Care Access Centre of Waterloo Region says that proâ€" posed government changes to its strucâ€" ture will effectively "muzzle" its role as an advocate of proper funding for home care in the province. Government changes will muzzle CCACG board of directors, members say The Niergarth family â€" Roger (right), son Vincent, and Sharon (far left) stood in silence as bugler Emerson Chapelle played the Last Post during Sunday‘s Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Waterloo Cenotaph. Thousands of people attended the event to honour those who gave their lives for freedom. By Bos VRBANAC Chronicle Staff Last Post The local board has tried to raise awareness of the lack of service because of underfunding, and even held a community forum to get the public‘s input about the homeâ€"care crunch. More than 250 people attendâ€" ed the forum in June, and came to the conclusion that it wasn‘t about politics The board, which has no mandate from the province to run a deficit, has been belt tightening ever since leaving more than 320 people on waiting lists for home care at a time when the cenâ€" tre saw a spike in demand for this type of service. with a shortfall of $12.7 million. it was about providing support to "It really seems to me, and to our board, that the province is just muzzling us. It feels like we‘ve been taken care of because we‘ve been too vocal." â€" Norma Marossi local CCAC board chair DEBORAH CRANDALL PHOTOS PAGE 3 But Marossi argues that those increasing homeâ€"care budgets are due to restructuring of the healthâ€"care sysâ€" tem brought on by governmental changes, including pushing sicker peoâ€" ple out of the hospital system faster. That means care that was once providâ€" ed by hospitals now falls on local The government has long argued for tighter controls of the province‘s CCACs due to the ballooning costs of homeâ€" care delivery. And putting the CCACs under its direct control by appointing its board members is seen as a way of managing. "The legislation really doesn‘t do anything for the clients and the people who live here. It was totally a goverâ€" nance issue." "It really seems to me, and to our board, that the province is just muzâ€" zling us," said Marossi. "It feels like we‘ve been taken care of because we‘ve been too vocal. Unfortunately, the legislation sugâ€" gests that message fell on deaf ears, as the province has moved to stifle that debate rather than address the root cause of the problem, the lack of adeâ€" quate funding. people in their homes so they don‘t have to go to a hospital. Continued on page 4 "Parking is going to be a real dog‘s breakfast." "I‘m still concerned over the lack of total parking for a project of this size," said Coun. Morty Taylor. On paper, the added spaces fulfill the developer‘s obligation in terms of parkâ€" ing availability; however, some council members were still skeptical of the deal, questioning what will happen if the lease is not renewed in three years. The _ University _ of Waterloo has also thrown its support behind the project, offering the â€" developer overnight parking accomâ€" modation in the school‘s X prarking lot for students who live in the proposed housing complex. He also submitted a letter of support for the $4â€"million renovation and restoration project, which will take the edge off the housing crunch expected to hit with the double cohort of two high school graduating classes starting university in 2003. Kevin Wolfe, owner of Wolfe Interiors, located at 40 Regina St., has agreed to rent the spaces to the developer for a threeâ€"year term, with a further option for three additional years. After being told by Waterloo council last week that six parking spaces would not be enough to accommodate the 103â€"bedâ€" room complex, proposed to go into the former boot and shoe factory at the corner of Bridgeport Road and Regina Street, representatives from Haastown Holdings Inc., with the help of Waterloo city staff, has brought the number of offered spaces up to 24 through a threeâ€"year lease agreement with an uptown merchant. n eleventhâ€"hour lease Azgreemem for 18 arking spaces has saved a student housing project planned for the uptown core. Student housing project gets green light from council By Anprea Baimey Chronicle Staff Looking For a New or Preâ€"owned BMW www.bhâ€"kmotors.com "What tore me apart was the huge parking problem in the north end. But 1 hope we‘re heading in the right direction to address that problem." _ "The building does need to be redeveloped, and it‘s a great project," he said. Coun. Dave Roeder, who seemed strongly opposed to the project last week, described the proposal as a great step. "We have a proposal here that most citiee would be envious of," Jones added. "The (lack of parking) is a prime example of decay in our core, and we are very lucky to have a project like this." "For someone to come in, and have gone above and beyond to secure some sites is admirable," he said. Coun. Bruce Anderson pointed out the city shouldâ€" n‘t use the development proâ€" posal at hand as a scapegoat for its municipal parking woes. "We‘ve been lucky up to now in that the businesses in that area have (opened) within existing homes," said Coun. Scott Jones. "They‘ve been paving the backyards and putting parking where they can. "But we‘ve now hit the wall, and we have to start addressing issues north of Erb Street." Council also acknowlâ€" edged, however, that availâ€" able parking in the core is sparse, and that the city should take a more proâ€"active role in the acquiâ€" sition of land in the uptown area north of Erb Street, with the goal of establishing cityâ€"owned parking faciliâ€" Attempting to soften the blow should the lease expire, council added stipulations to the zoning approval, demanding the applicant submit an irrevocable letter of credit in an amount of cash in lieu of parking which is sufficient to secure 18 parking spaces in a reasonâ€" able distance from the housâ€" ing complex.

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