What's it to be, a new hospital or a redevelopment of the current facility?
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It's a question that has been on many people's lips and Cowra Shire Council candidate Alex Cozadinos has called for clarification of the state government's plans.
"On February 27, 2019 the Cowra Guardian reported that the NSW Minister for Health, Brad Hazzard, announced that the NSW government committed over $70 million to transform the Cowra Hospital, which would include new and refurbished buildings," Mr Cozadinos said.
"It was also reported on July 14, 2021, that (Member for Cootamundra) Steph Cooke said: 'the work on a replaced or refurbished Cowra Hospital is set to get underway in early 2023'.
"Which is it to be, 'new and refurbished buildings' as Brad Hazzard said or, as Steph Cooke said, 'a replaced or refurbished' Cowra Hospital?
"Even the Mayor, Bill West, seems to have been left in the dark. He is quoted as saying 'There's questions to be answered around what the redevelopment might look like and where it might take place'."
As a candidate for the Council elections, Mr Cozadinos says he's been asked similar questions by members of the community that have been asked of Steph Cooke.
"Will a new hospital be built or will the existing hospital be expanded?" Mr Cozadinos asked.
"And if a new hospital is built what will happen to the existing building.
"My question to Brad Hazzard, Steph Cooke and the Mayor is, why has it taken over two years, since the announcement, for a lead consultant team to work with Health Infrastructure on the master planning stage of the redevelopment project to be appointed?
"And will the master plan for the hospital take into account the increase in population that will occur due to people moving to the Cowra Shire and surrounding areas as a result of increasing house prices in non-regional areas?
"The Cowra community deserves answers regarding the future of our hospital," Mr Cozadinos said.