Just four months after the plan for a hospice in UBC caused an uproar, another is being built in a very similar neighborhood. The new hospice will be located at 4615 Granville Street, between 32nd and Connaught Drive.
The Vancouver Hospice will have six beds and is for people over the age of 19. The services will range from medical assistance for people who can no longer take care of themselves to family grief sessions and local support. It is a community-based hospice funded entirely by donations and staffed by volunteers.
People living in UBC have a different idea about a hospice in their neighborhood. Some say they have spiritual concerns or worry about a decrease in property value. Others are just upset they were never given notice of the project.
The Vancouver Hospice Society has taken precautions when building their hospice to help prevent similar conflicts. Executive Director of the Vancouver Hospice Society Gay Klietzke says the most important part of the process is awareness and involvement in communities.
“We did not encounter the same problems. We had a neighborhood meeting prior to construction and informed everyone what we intended to do. We know that we can’t please everybody but we wanted people to be aware of what we actually are.”
Klietzke says construction is on track and framing the new building is set to begin this week. The finished projection date is March 15th, 2012.
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