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Rally today outside MLA's office

People upset about Oceanside Health Centre to gather at 10 a.m. Friday

Parksville-Qualicum MLA Ron  Cantelon cancelled a meeting and intends to be at a health centre rally outside his Parksville office Friday morning.


Rick Sullivan, spokesperson for the Coalition for Strong Communities which is organizing the rally, said many people are unhappy with the lack of community input and the fact that the facility will only provide four of five services identified as important for the community.


“What the community endorses were five clear needs for service in the 2001 survey,” he previously told The News. “People called for urgent care, a primary care program, ambulatory care, diagnostic and treatment services and inpatient services. It provides the first four, but the really important one, overnight beds, is what people really wanted.”


Even though site preparation has already begun, Sullivan said it’s not too late to stop it and come up with something better.


Cantelon was unavailable for comment, but his office said he intended to be there and would speak to those who show up.


Sullivan said they don’t have any formal plan or line-up of speakers, but he will say something and there will be a chance for others to talk.


The rally is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday morning in front of the office in the Parksville Civic and Community Centre.