For the past two years, the Cranbrook Kimberley Hospice Society has been looking for suitable land in the East Kootenay to build a 10-bed hospice house.
The Cranbrook Kimberley Hospice Society (CKHS) provides end-of-life support for patients, families and friends, as well as bereavement services.
The organization currently has 72 volunteers trained in end-of-life companioning and bereavement support.
The Society supports people diagnosed with terminal illnesses through end of life and offers bereavement support to families and friends after a death.
George Watson, the board chair of the Cranbrook Kimberley Hospice Society, spoke with Pattison Media about the importance of remaining transparent with the community. The organization says it has not yet selected a site and remains open to other options, emphasizing the importance of the hospice house for East Kootenay families.
“It’s very interesting here in the East Kootenays. There are no dedicated palliative care rooms east of the Okanagan Valley. That’s a tremendous geographic area,” says George Watson, board chair of the Cranbrook Kimberley Hospice Society.
East Kootenay Regional Hospital has two designated rooms, and Pine Kimberley has one, but none are permanently dedicated for palliative care.
CKHS and Cranbrook City Council have been discussing city-owned sites that could become a hospice house, with the Society favouring the Mount Baker RV Campsite property.
Potential Location: Mount Baker RV Campsite. (Photo Credit: Simone Joseph)
At a special Cranbrook council meeting on August 10, council reaffirmed its previous vote to move ahead with public consultation on possible locations for the Cranbrook Kimberley Hospice House, identifying four other potential sites.
Those locations include the Frost lands near St. Mary’s School, the Highlands area, the Slaterville area on 5th Street NW, and the south area of Kinsmen Quad Ball Park off Willowbrook Drive.
The Hospice House Steering Committee has reviewed each option and believes two properties meet its needs for suitability, location, accessibility, available space and room for the accompanying garden.
From the Society’s perspective, two properties remain viable: the Mount Baker RV Campground site and the Highlands property.
Potential Location: Highlands Property at 600 30th Avenue South, Cranbrook. (Photo Credit: Simone Joseph)
“The Highlands property is a new property the City has put forward to us… We find it is a good space for building, and it meets most of our needs in terms of location, accessibility and proximity to the hospital. At this point, it appears to tick most of the boxes we’re looking for,” adds Watson.
Some residents have raised concerns on social media about turning the Mount Baker RV Campsite into a hospice house, noting it is an affordable option for people to live or stay short-term.
Watson says the Society did not know the RV park would remain open when it identified the site as its preferred choice.
“Our aim is to have all citizens supporting us, and we don’t want to offend anybody. We believed the best information we had was that it was not going to remain an RV park, and that our application and interest were welcomed by the City,” says Watson.
Concerns have also been raised about construction costs and the facility’s overall operations.
Watson says CKHS has set a $15-million project goal, with an estimated $7 million to $9 million needed to build the hospice house. Another $6 million to $8 million would support operations for the first two or three years while the Society works with Interior Health and other funding sources.
Tuesday, Sept. 8, CKHS released a community letter emphasizing its commitment to transparency, open communication and broad community support, explaining why these sites are preferred locations.
The Society remains open to other offers and will review properties as they come forward, working with the City and community members to choose the best site and ensure long-term land-use compatibility.
“If anyone has land they think could be suitable for a hospice house, please contact us. We’re definitely interested in looking at every available option,” adds Watson.
The City of Cranbrook opened its 2027 Budget Citizen Survey Tuesday (Sept. 8), inviting public feedback on several topics, including the proposed hospice house location.
To read the community letter from the Cranbrook Kimberley Hospice Society, click here.
Access the City of Cranbrook’s 2027 Budget Citizen Survey here.
Anyone who would like to discuss land options with the Cranbrook Kimberley Hospice Society is encouraged to share feedback by contacting info@ckhospice.ca or 250-417-2019.
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