The deadline is nearing to have your say on the visual ideas for the future of Riverview Hospital in Coquitlam.
BC Housing, the agency charged by the provincial government to conduct the visioning of the 103-year-old site, has set Friday, Jan. 16 as the cut-off date for feedback on the illustrations.
BC Housing CEO Shayne Ramsay said the 47 renderings produced by architect Stanley King and his fellow co-design drawers - with the help of stakeholders and local citizens - have generated some 3,000 ratings to date.
Online participants were asked to pick their favourite concepts for the 244 acres, based on themes. And not surprisingly, mental wellness tops the votes, Ramsay said.
Still, other trends have emerged for a "balanced community," he said, such as the need for outdoor spaces, cafes, terraces, employment opportunities and housing for people with different incomes and abilities.
Supportive housing to round out the continuum of care for the Riverview clients also rates high, Ramsay said (last month, BC Health Minister Terry Lake opened 40 temporary beds at Riverview for people with severe additions and mental illness. Fourteen will be newly created spots while another 26 will be transfers from the Burnaby Centre for Mental Health and Addiction).
Ramsay also said the need for public transit is also a strong indicator for the future Coquitlam neighbourhood.
"When we began the visioning process, we were really interested in finding out what the community wanted to see happen there," Ramsay told The Tri-City News on Thursday. "We suspected that mental wellness would be a strong focus and it has been but we're hearing from others about what the site could mean to them."
A report about the illustration consultation will be included in the next - and final - round of open houses in March or April; dates and locations have yet to be finalized.
Shared Services BC is expected to formally transfer Riverview to BC Housing in the next few months.
To rate a Riverview illustration, go to renewingriverview.com.
@jwarrenTC
