Tuesday, June 29th, 2021
Groves Memorial Community Hospital and the Township of Centre Wellington divide old Groves Hospital lands
Fergus, ON… Groves Memorial Community Hospital (GMCH) and the Township of Centre Wellington (TCW) signed a memorandum of understanding to divide the old Groves Hospital trust lands.
Dr. Abraham Groves gifted the hospital and lands to the village of Fergus in 1932. The Groves Act sets out that the land will be held by the Township in trust for the hospital corporation for as long as the hospital corporation continues to operate as a public hospital. GMCH moved to a new hospital site in August 2020 and since that time the old hospital site is being used as a COVID Assessment Centre. The Ministry of Health (MoH) is funding GMCH to maintain the facility for the immediate future. Other lands included in the gift was the old Queen Street Medical building (currently vacant as the physicians moved into their new building on Beatty Line) and the Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Service building (currently occupied by ambulance services).
Over the past number of years there has been ongoing discussions between GMCH and the TCW regarding the GMCH Act (the Groves Act) and the lands donated by Dr. Groves and held in trust by the Township and how these lands will be used after the relocation of the hospital.
GMCH and the TCW worked together to develop the memorandum of understanding which has the TCW taking ownership of the old Queen Street Medical building and current Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Service building. GMCH will maintain ownership of the old Groves Hospital land, including the parking lots. The Memorandum of Understanding will show the collaboration between the Township and the Hospital as future discussions take place with the Province.
“All parties involved in these discussions acknowledge the huge benefits Dr. Groves has provided to the community with his land donation for medical purposes,” says Gilles Madore, Board Chair, GMCH. “We will continue to work with the MoH to transition the corporation out of the Groves Hospital Act and, continue to explore potential future uses of the lands to deliver medical services and to continue to benefit the Groves Hospital corporation.”
“The Township has considered it a privilege to hold this property in trust as requested by Dr. Groves.” said Mayor Linton. “With our new Groves Memorial Hospital at its new location, we are working with the Hospital Board to repurpose these lands to better serve the needs of our community for years to come.”
