Pan Am velodrome big issue going into new year

Mayor hopes to see funding commitment for indoor cycling track

From Christina Commisso, Milton Canadian Champion

Mayor Gord Krantz says he has learned more about velodromes in the latter part of 2011 than in his whole life.

That learning curve is expected to continue into this year, as the velodrome is one of many Milton projects on the agenda for 2012.

The long-serving Milton mayor told the Champion in a recent interview that he hopes to see a funding commitment for the indoor cycling track this year — one of his many New Year’s wishes.

“This is a huge international sport and it’s growing. There will be 20 to 25 international meets in Canada each year, and they could happen right here,” he said.

Tourism boom could erupt

The 74-year-old mayor said if the velodrome business plan is approved by Milton council and construction is given a green light, he envisions a hotel or two popping up in the immediate area and a tourism boom for the town. “Tourism is a huge industry in Canada, and we’re looking for our piece of that industry.”

The velodrome is closely tied to the Milton Education Village (MEV). The 150-acre parcel of land at Derry and Tremaine roads will serve as home to the cycling track and to a Laurier University satellite campus if Milton gets its way.

Krantz said he was hoping to see more movement on the MEV campus in 2011, “but I’m far from being naïve,” he said.

“The Province has a cash crunch issue…I can’t blame them for being a little cautious,” adding that he’d like to see the funding come through in the next couple of years.

“Where else are they going to get 150 acres of free land? The Province is roughly 60,000 (post-secondary) spaces short and here we are ready and able and willing to help.”

Mayor wishes for ground-breaking

The mayor’s final wish for the new year is a ground-breaking for the Milton District Hospital expansion, a long-awaited promise that came to fruition this past summer.

As for predictions for 2012, the mayor said one thing will be inevitable in Milton — traffic.

“I’ll apologize for that in advance,” said Krantz, pointing to the Main Street grade separation just east of Ontario Street. “It’s going to cause a disruption and I’ll be the first one to acknowledge that.”

Asked why the Town didn’t plan the construction pre-population boom when the traffic impact would be less intense, Krantz said there was simply no way to fund the $50 million, four-year project.

“Development charges are paying for a huge portion of the project,” he said.

Krantz said while Milton is far-removed from the financial crises taking place around the globe, he believes the Town could feel some of the pinch.

“The federal and provincial governments can have an indirect impact,” he said, adding that he wouldn’t be surprised if certain government services are downloaded to the municipal level. 

If you follow the Hawthorne Villager forum, you will see there’s been quite the discussion amongst the posters about the potential velodrome in Milton.  There is one more report to go and that will be received by council on January 23rd for review.  As soon as the report is made available online, I’ll post a link.

UPDATE:  I am including links to the Town of Milton’s website for the velodrome reports that council has reviewed during this process.  Please take some time to review them and feel free to email or post here any questions you might have.

Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games – Velodrome Status Report November 21st 2011

Velodrome Status Report, December 5th 2011

If you’ve been following my blog recently, you will have noticed I have posted quite a bit of information on the progress.  Someone tweeted me recently to ask “what does Mike think?”  So here it is.

The basis behind this facility is that its more than just cycling. Its a facility that can be and will be multi purposed. As with those other velodromes others talk about as failures this will provide more than just cycling. Basketball courts, indoor tennis, or if turf there’s indoor soccer, cricket maybe, football practice field (Ticats are you listening?)

As I mentioned during the special council meeting, the $3.8 million has already been budgeted for similar use facilities. Its in the bank so to speak and not coming out of taxes. We have been able to stand above other municipalities in the Greater Milton Area for a reason….partnership with the private sector.

This deal could NOT have been done without the assistance from the private sector. Mattamy is just ONE of the companies involved in the fundraising process for this deal…there are many many more. Tim Hockey, President and CEO of TD Canada Trust who is also an avid cyclist, is getting behind the project personally and will assist in fundraising for the velodrome. The pool of resources isnt just in Milton, its national organizations…international organizations as well that can assist in the fundraising.

That’s where other municipalities failed. They couldn’t harness the power of the private sector in getting things done. We as a council made it very clear that if we were to move forward on this there has to be minimal to NO impact on taxpayers. This can only help in growing our business base … and hence more tax revenue in town.

The Milton Education Village is just one of the keys to that success. The land is ready to go, our partners are ready to go and the provincial government needs to see that by approving Milton as one of the locations for satellite university campuses (as they have already acknowledged) it will go a long way for THEM to keep a promise made in the last election for increasing the number of post secondary spaces in Ontario. This MEV project moving forward can help kick in the pants OTHER things that Milton needs, like an interchange at Tremaine Road so that everyone on the west side of town doesn’t have to drive along Derry and or Britannia to go to the 401 and help with the backlog of traffic that way.

With moving the Canadian Cycling Association here to Milton with this facility we can help increase travel and tourism to the area. Right now we only have 2 hotels. We WILL need more (any entrepreneurs out there?) for when they hold national/international events that’s even more businesses that can benefit…from hospitality to restaurants to local businesses the impact can be huge.

Having the velodrome on campus adds some other benefits that can be looked at for revenue generating possibilities. The parking lot can be used at the university and we can charge a monthly fee for profs using it or what have you. There’s also the matter of the legacy fund set up by the Pan AM games … we don’t know the amount yet, but that should evolve through the business plan process over the next 4-6 weeks.

Is it a done deal? Not yet. ONE more report to go. That report will outline the needs for commitments at all levels so that we feel comfortable the project will stay under $40 million (contingencies are already built into that number) and that we can get the job done with our fundraising partners so that we don’t have to dip into the tax pool on this.

Sorry for the rambling and Im sure Ive missed a few points but I wanted to make sure we let people know that theres one more step in the process before its a go and I can assure you if the numbers don’t add up for me, even though Im excited about the project I wont want to see it move forward.

This town has shown others that we’re not the sleepy town we once were. I watched a Hamilton city council meeting recently when they were discussing their umpteenth attempt at getting it back and the almost disdain in their voices when they mentioned MILton of all places. We aren’t 35,000 people anymore. I know I sound sales-y by saying this but its true. Milton is a force to be paid attention to from now on. This is a project I know we can put together, that can be used for the games and years after so its not abandoned like the others and that it can help kick start the business growth we need in town to add more revenue to the town and to be the “new” centre of the universe in the GMA.

As I stated in this blog  recently and in the Hamilton Spectator last week, the 2015 Pan Am Games committee has chosen Milton as the desired location for the velodrome.  The City of Hamilton couldnt get a deal finalized after being part of the process for a couple of years and didnt get the job done.

MPP Ted McMeekin said recently that Hamilton is “too late to recoup the velodrome.”

Recently Hamilton Mayor Bob Bratina made comments that a silent funder had come forward to see if they can get one last chance to get the velodrome back to Hamilton, but that was once again shot down by Mr. McMeekin this week.

The Town of Milton has been chosen as the location of the velodrome pending approval by Milton Town Council.  There is one more report to review and that is slated to be before us by January 23rd at an upcoming meeting.  We have until the 24th to sign a binding agreeement with the Pan Am committee and we are awaiting the receipt of that report.

Here is the artcile from the Milton Canadian Champion/Hamilton Spectator by Matthew Van Dongen

Hamilton too late to recoup velodrome: McMeekin

Hamilton can’t buy its way back into the Pan Am velodrome race with mystery millions, says Liberal cabinet minister Ted McMeekin.

Sources told The Spectator last week a private corporation is willing to make a multimillion-dollar commitment to a permanent indoor cycling oval in Hamilton — even though Pan Am officials recently announced Milton as the facility host.

Milton has until Jan. 24 to sign a binding agreement to help fund the facility, which could cost up to $45 million.

“I guess if it doesn’t work out in Milton, everything is back on the table,” said McMeekin, the Minister of Agriculture and MPP for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale. “But the Pan Am people have been pretty clear Milton has been selected as the (velodrome) site. Clearly, the Pan Am people have moved on.”

Unless Milton backs out, McMeekin said he didn’t know how new mystery funding could help Hamilton’s cause “after the horses have left the barn.”

Hamilton was originally the preferred site for the cycling venue, but lost that status after Pan Am officials rejected the city’s $5 million offer towards building costs. A local fundraising group has continued collecting pledges and lobbying government to build in Hamilton and, in a recent year-end radio interview, Mayor Bob Bratina cited a deep-pocketed “prospective partner” for a local velodrome.

The mayor of Milton figures that effort is too little and too late.

“Where was that interest a few weeks ago? Seems pretty late in the game,” Gordon Krantz said of Hamilton’s behind-the-scenes manoeuvring.

Krantz acknowledged that Milton’s offer could still fall through. His council is set to consider a business plan for the velodrome on Jan. 23 — the day before the Pan Am deadline for finalizing an agreement. The town of close to 90,000 is also waiting for the provincial go-ahead for a satellite university campus that Milton politicians want to pair with the velodrome.

But even if Milton retracts its bid, there’s no guarantee Hamilton will get another crack at the cycling oval. Krantz said Pan Am officials have told him they would consider building a temporary velodrome on Toronto’s port lands if Milton doesn’t commit to a permanent facility.

“I don’t think anyone is enthusiastic about that idea,” he said. “I’m hoping we can make (a permanent indoor facility) happen.”

Milton has its own private benefactor, Mattamy Homes president Peter Gilgan, who has offered $9 million in donations and cash for naming rights.

But the town would have to find at least that much money again to cover the 44 per cent municipal portion of velodrome building costs, estimated by Infrastructure Ontario at between $35 million and $45 million.

I am very encouraged to see the progress in the development of the Target Distribution Centre.  This project will continue to bring in more jobs to our area and hopefully spearhead the increase in business development in Milton.  This article is from the Milton Canadian Champion.

Laying the groundwork

Construction is now well underway at the new Target distribution centre site on Boston Church Road, just north of Hwy. 401.

The 79-acre site will house a 1.3-million-square-foot facility — which will be the biggest building in town.

The distribution centre is expected to be in operation prior to the opening of Target’s first Canadian stores in 2013.

Again for those who missed the special council meeting last night regarding the velodrome issue, please click the following link.  More details and comments to come.  If you have any questions or concerns please email me mike.cluett@milton.ca

Town of Milton Special Council Meeting Velodrom December 12 2011

Here is the article from todays Milton Canadian Champion followed by Daniel Nolan from The Hamilton Spectator

Veledrome moves forward

Council overwhelmingly endorsed a commitment to move forward as the Pan Am velodrome’s preferred site during last night’s special council meeting.Council voted nine to two in favour of committing to funding 44 per cent of the costs of the velodrome, with only Ward 2 Councillor Greg Nelson and Ward 4 Councillor Rick Malboeuf voting against the staff-supported recommendation.

While it’s looking like a strong possibility world-renowned bikers from across the Americas will be descending on Milton during the 2015 Pan Am Games, a business plan will have to be worked out before council enters into a binding agreement with Pan Am organizers over the estimated $40 million facility.

“You hear that other municipalities tried and turned it down, so why are we moving forward with it,” said Ward 6 Councillor Mike Cluett. “We have a good working relationship with the private sector. That’s the only way this project will move forward. This is going to put a big spotlight on the town of Milton and that’s exactly what we want to do. We want to bring people to Milton.”

If approved by council, Milton will be on the hook for $17.6 million in velodrome funding, plus the cost of land and servicing the site.

Council was presented with letters of support from Mattamy Homes and TD Canada Trust, to name a few, during last night’s meeting.

Mattamy President and CEO Peter Gilgan has committed $7 million in pledged donations and $2 million for exclusive naming rights of the velodrome. Gilgan and Tim Hockey, TD Canada Trust president and CEO, also pledged support to rally behind a $3 million fundraising campaign.

“We recognize that the establishment of a permanent velodrome in Milton, already a hot bed of cycling, is a ‘game-changer’ for the sport in Canada,” wrote Hockey in a letter to the Town.

Staff will take the next month or so to work out a business plan that will identify any financial risks the Town may face in hosting facility and verify a cycling legacy in Milton.

Council will decide whether to give the project the final stamp of approval or not once the business plan is presented sometime early next year.

The Town has hired Sierra Planning and Management, the same firm that developed the Hamilton velodrome business plan, to draft the Milton version at a cost of no more than $95,000.

Malboeuf questioned the cost of the business plan. “How much money is it to edit out Hamilton and put in Milton?” he asked.

However, staff said the plan must be drafted using Milton data and taking into account the shared amenities and partnerships with the Milton Education Village, the planned site for the velodrome.

Malboeuf insisted since the velodrome debate came to light, he hasn’t heard any support for it from residents. “My concern is any time government gets involved in something, it doesn’t come out as planned…should something happen and the fundraising doesn’t come about, it’s the people of Milton who are on the hook.”

But Mayor Gord Krantz, who’s remained a strong supporter of the facility, said the velodrome would put Milton on the map. 

Milton to pursue Pan Am Games velodrome

It’s that time of year again Milton.  No, not the long lines at the shopping malls, the honing of Christmas lists of your kids and the never ending list of holiday parties to attend.  Its budget time at the Town of Milton.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, this is a fun time for your local councillor as well.  Over the last year I have talked with you on what your budget priorities are.  This past summer myself along with a number of other councillors sat down with you to discuss the issues you found to be important.  I have received close to 100 emails over the course of the year of you letting me know what you would like to see.

All of the comments received were sent to staff and what you will see here is a list of the budget documents.  This budget will come before council on December 12 and 13th for review/debate/approval.  Members of the public are more than welcome, and encouraged to take part in this process as well.  If you’d like to know how you can be a part of this important process, please email me mike@mikecluett.ca for more details.

Over the course of the next week or so as I dive into these documents, drink lots of coffee and find more dark circles under my eyes due to lack of sleep, I will be posting more details, my thoughts and attempt to get as many of your comments ready for the budget committee meeting on the 12th.  If you want a hard copy of the budget, they can be purchased at Milton Town Hall as well.  Email me for details.

A quick overview of the budget will find that it recommends at 4.18% increase in the tax rate.  That doesn’t mean your taxes will go up by that amount, its the rate of increase in budget spending.  In the past I have stated I wouldn’t support a budget with an increase over the rate of inflation and I look to keep that same commitment here.  That rate doesn’t include education, the Region of Halton, the Library levy or DBIA. 

I’ll post more details on what can be done to reduce the impact of the tax increase in the coming days.  Again, if you have any questions at all, please email or call me anytime.  With over 400 pages in the budget document, odds are I will be up late reading it.

Here are the links online from www.milton.ca for the 2012 Budget Documents

Operating and Capital Budgets

The Town’s annual budget is developed by staff in consideration of the guidelines approved by Council in July and input received from the public. Council deliberates and approves the budget in December of each year ensuring an approved budget is in place for the start of the new year.

2012 Proposed Budget Documents

• Foreword & Introduction
• Capital Budget Summary
• Operating Budget Summary
• Departmental Details
• 2013-2021 Capital Budget Forecast
• 2013-2014 Operating Budget Forecast
• Reserve & Reserve Funds
• Supplementary Information

This past weekend at the Milton Mall was another edition of the Milton Haunted House.  Hundreds of children, young and old, made their way through a maze of ghouls n ghosts with surprises around every corner.

The Haunted House originated from Ward 7 Councillor Rick Di Lorenzo’s garage in Hawthorne Village.  People used to come from all over town to visit his home during Halloween to take part in his ghoulish creation.  Just last year, Rick along with others held this event at the Pirate Festival and raised over $5,700 for Milton District Hospital Foundation.

This years goal was $10,000 and even though the donations are still being counted, we are confident we either hit or surpassed our goal.  On behalf of the team (which included a LOT of people) I want to thank Miltonians for their generosity.  Our donation boxes were filled to the brim over the course of the two days and we were blown away by the enthusiam of the residents of our town.

To Rick and his even more enthusiastic mother , Zeeshan, Jennifer, Kim, Ed, and the MANY volunteers, actors, face painters, greeters, raffle ticket sellers and everyone who took part in the event….THANK YOU!

Another big THANK YOU goes to the sponsors of the event who helped us out.  MinMaxx Realty, Milton Canadian Champion, Mattamy Homes, SST Group, Milton Nail Spa and of course without the help and space from Milton Mall, this couldnt have happened.

Taking Miranda around trick or treating last night I had the chance to hear directly from people who did come to the haunted house and the reviews were fantastic and they cant wait for next year.  There are a bunch of volunteers who are pretty tired and who also have the fun task of taking down the scary structure in the mall but Im sure theyll be ready to go for next year.

I was happy to help out this weekend and it was great to see all the smiling faces and the kids who came back more than once to get the full effects of the haunted house.  Some didnt make it through all the way and had to turn back but Im sure next year they will be back again.

Thanks again to Rick for the concept of the haunted house and thanks to his wife Nicole who is expecting their second child any day now.  Thanks for letting Rick do this.

We will see you next year.  Stay tuned for the final total … all in support of the Milton District Hospital Foundation.  Our community needs this hospital expanded and the community showed just how much this weekend.  Thank you! 

From the Milton Canadian Champion By Christina Commisso

Council eyeing velodrome

The Pan Am Games velodrome has sparked the interest of Milton council.

The velodrome, an indoor track for cycling, is the only major Pan Am sports venue that’s still without a home after the City of Hamilton decided to cap its funding for the $45 million project at $5 million. Organizers, however, were looking for the host municipality to fund 44 per cent of the capital costs — about $20 million.

They’ve now reached out to communities who previously expressed an interest in hosting a Pan Am event, one of them being the Town of Milton.

“We did not go seeking this, they came to us to see if we could be interested,” Mayor Gord Krantz said during a committee meeting Monday. “I’m interested.”

However, Krantz said he wouldn’t be looking to the taxpayers to fund the local share of the project. Rather, it would be funded, if possible, through private partnerships.

The Town is proposing the Milton Education Village (MEV) location, a 150 acre-site at Derry and Tremaine Roads, house a permanent velodrome. If Pan Am organizers opt for a temporary facility, the Town is proposing the Derry Green Business Park or any existing vacant building in Milton.   

In a letter addressed to Krantz, organizers indicate they require a “shovel ready” site between five and six acres to be provided by the municipality by January 31, 2013.

Milton’s CAO Mario Belvedere pointed out the deadlines for the Pan Am site are similar to those of the MEV. Council has previously said the MEV would be shovel-ready by early 2013.

“Is that just a coincidences, or something we can look at more vigorously,” said Belvedere. “There are opportunities for project partnering by looking at other community partners who are already in place for the education village.”

But he warned that Hamilton had more than a year to work out site-selection and funding for the velodrome, and that still wasn’t enough time.

Milton has been given about a six-week window.

Organizers are looking for municipalities to express their interest and propose a site by tomorrow and a binding agreement to be signed with a host municipality by November 30.  

“Simply put, we haven’t had enough time to ask the appropriate questions,” said Belvedere.

Some of those questions include whether the interior of the velodrome could be modified to include other sports, what kind of operating subsidy would the Town receive to help with the ongoing costs of the velodrome and if the entire project can meet Pan Am’s tight timeframe.

Asked if the Town can meet the November 30 deadline, Belvedere responded, “absolutely not.”

“To be fair no one could meet those timelines. No one could put together a $40 million project in six weeks,” he said.

Krantz reiterated that he has no intentions of putting the Town’s finances in jeopardy and that the project would only move forward with private sector support.

 “There’s no doubt in my mind the Milton Education Village will be built in the next two, three, or five years. Will this fit in the college? I think it’s a perfect fit.”

He continued, “I’m looking 10, 20 years out to what the benefits of this facility may be.”

Krantz said three or four communities were approached by Pan Am organizers about the project.

While the committee voted express their interest in the Pan Am velodrome, several councillors raised concerns about the project.

“We only have six weeks for binding agreement. That’s not enough time for public feedback and that makes me nervous,” said Ward 8 Councillor Zeeshan Hamid.

He requested that the Town host a public meeting regarding the velodrome, but Belvedere said it’s best to wait and see if a private partner is found, as the velodrome wouldn’t move forward without one.

Hamid also raised concerns about ongoing operating costs.

Ward 6 Councillor Mike Cluett asked if there has been any indication from the Province regarding when MEV will move forward.

“There’s been no real contact at this early stage by the government or the ministry,” said Belvedere. “Prior to the election it was opinion of the ministry that they needed to move quickly on securing an additional 40,000 new spaces in the GTA, and that was a high priority.”

Ward 2 Councillor Greg Nelson said a velodrome would be a “hard sell” for downtown residents.

“With the hospital expansion and underpass underway, residents expect us to move forward with a razor-sharp focus,” he said, adding that he wouldn’t support funding the project with taxpayer dollars. “I hope we have Donald Trump or Richard Branson on speed dial.”

The velodrome will be an International Sports Federation-approved facility and will be used for Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games track cycling events and for training. The four-seasons velodrome will have a 250-metre track and will serve as the national training centre for Cycle Canada.

Belvedere said if organizers opt for a temporary site at the Derry Green Business Park, it would mean that area of town would receive water and wastewater services ahead of schedule. A temporary facility would be housed in a dome. When the games are over, the track would be removed and the dome could be used for indoor sports.

Mississauga councillors were expected to decide whether to bid on the velodrome at a meeting today.

A status report on the project will be presented at the November 21 Milton council meeting.

The following is an article from the Milton Canadian Champion by Christina Commisso.

Mayor raises slot revenue concerns at conference

Decreases in the Town’s slot revenue had Milton’s mayor, along with about a dozen others, raising their concerns during a provincial conference late last month.

Mayor Gord Krantz said he was very vocal about the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s changes to financial reporting, which result in an annual loss of $136,000 for the Town, during the 2011 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference in London, Ont.

“There are 22 municipalities affected by this and at this point we haven’t challenged the legality of it, or questioned the ethics of it,” said Krantz.

“Regardless of how they report, it shouldn’t have a negative effect on us.”

In July, Town staff voiced their opposition to the OLG reporting changes, which was supported by council.

Krantz also addressed the ‘heads and beds’ subsidy during the annual AMO event, which brings together representatives from 444 municipal governments along with provincial ministries.

Since provincial facilities, such as universities and colleges, hospitals and correctional centres, are exempt from property taxes, the Province gives municipalities a $75 per head/bed subsidy — an amount that hasn’t increased since 1987.

Pointing to the Maplehurst Correctional Complex, Krantz said, “It takes a lot of extra policing to look after a place like that. The subsidy is no where near as close as we spend (on extra policing).”  

Krantz said the Liberal, NDP and PC provincial party leaders made appearances at the four-day conference and municipal leaders were eager to hear the parties’ platforms.

“We all know we have a huge deficit in Ontario,” warned Krantz of election promises.

However, asked if a change in power at Queen’s Park could put the recently-announced Milton hospital expansion in jeopardy, Krantz said regardless of which party comes out on top in the October 6 election, “they’re committed to going through with it.”

“I’m almost positive it (the hospital expansion) will move forward. Maybe it will move a little slower, but it will move forward.”

He said the next big-ticket item the Town has its heart set on is the Milton Education Village.  “To the best of my knowledge, the latest statistics show the Province is short 40,000 university and college spots,” he said.

“We can help eliminate that shortage.”

I’m still giddy (yes I said giddy) with excitement everytime I read something about the expansion at Milton District Hospital.  Here is the article from today’s Milton Canadian Champion (by Christina Commisso) with coverage of the historic announcement.

Hospital expansion approved

Completion expected in late 2015 or early 2016

Hugs, high-fives and tears were aplenty Thursday morning, as Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews announced Milton’s hospital has been given the long-awaited green light for a massive expansion.

Milton District Hospital (MDH) will triple in size following a 320,000 square-foot addition that should be completed by late 2015 or early 2016.

“The support is unanimous. We have people from all political parties who are here today saying yes, this is the right decision. I’m pleased that all of us together have gotten where we are today,” said Matthews, as the room erupted in applause.

Pointing to an outpouring of community support that has  surrounded the MDH expansion, the Liberal MPP said hospitals are the heart and soul of a community, “and no where is that more true than right here in Milton. You should change the town’s motto to ‘where we don’t take no for an answer.’”

Matthews re-iterated that the expansion is poised to move full-steam ahead. “I want to be very clear this money has been allocated. It is in our fiscal plan. It has gone through our treasury board. All of the Is are dotted and Ts are crossed. This money is part of our infrastructure plan.”

The expansion will include a new emergency department to accommodate 45,500 visits a year. Currently the department can handle 30,000 visits. The addition of an MRI machine and chemotherapy services will more than triple the size of the hospital’s diagnostic imaging department. A new maternal child-care ward will include 17 post-partum beds, up from the current eight, and the intensive care unit will see 10 beds, up from six.

Also in the plans are two new medical surgical in-patient units with capacity for 72 patients and expanded operating suites, and a post-anesthetic care unit that will accommodate 8,400 surgeries a year — a 70 per cent increase over the department’s current capacity.

Eighty per cent of the rooms will be single patient to enhance infection control.

Halton Healthcare Services (HHS) CEO John Oliver said construction should be complete by 2015/16, about a year after the new Oakville hospital is planned for completion.

“Both hospitals will be under construction at the same time and one will open right after the other. We’re going to make up for lost time in Milton,” said Oliver to an elated crowd.

He said detailed planning with hospital staff will begin immediately, along with discussions with the hospital foundation and the Town regarding the local share of the construction costs plus the entire cost of equipping and furnishing the hospital.

Asked about the cost of the expansion, Oliver said for the time being a number won’t be released to the public. “We learned from the Oakville project when you put a number out, it changes…we’ll talk about the kinds of services and the number of beds, but we won’t release a number to the public.”

Milton Mayor Gord Krantz said at this point in time he has no idea what kind of money the Town will be on the hook for in terms of the local share.

“This was only the start and now some of the grunt work needs to be done and finances is going to be a big part of that,” he said. “I have a sneaking suspicion the community is going to buy into this and fundraising is going to have to be a definite part of it.”

The recently-announced Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital expansion, pegged at $312 million, is looking for $120 million from the Burlington community. The Town of Oakville has committed up to $130 million toward the construction of the new Dundas Street and Third Line hospital, and the Oakville Hospital Foundation is raising $60 million for the community share.

Asked if the hospital’s local share will be part of the Town’s 2012 budget — which is already well underway — Milton’s CAO Mario Belvedere said, “We will do what needs to be done to support this program and we can work on amending whatever needs to be done.”

He said he plans to meet with Oliver within the next few weeks to discuss numbers, adding that the scope and speed of the expansion is “well beyond our imagination.”

Halton’s Conservative MPP Ted Chudleigh, who has advocated for a Milton hospital expansion for a number of years, joked, “It’s such a good day, I don’t think I can say anything bad about the Liberals.

“This project is going from functional planning to completion in one step, that’s unprecedented in Ontario.”

Asked how the expansion — which several Milton residents and councillors dubbed the number one election issue — changes the dynamics of the October 6 provincial election, Chudleigh said, “It becomes less of an issue. It comes off the table and now it’s a matter of making it happen.”

Local provincial Liberal candidate Indira Naidoo-Harris said Thursday was a day for celebration.

“It’s a wonderful day for Halton and Milton. I am thrilled the minister has been listening to our community.”

Several members of the Friends of Milton Hospital and Grow Milton Hospital groups were on hand for the announcement and said the days of gathering about 40,000 signatures (during two community campaigns) in support of an expansion — in rain or shine — has finally paid off.

“We needed care at all levels,” said Friends of Milton Hospital co-chair and former nurse Cari Kovachik-MacNeil. “Milton’s emergency has always been known for how good it was, but then where do the patients go from here when the hospital is in gridlock. Now they can stay here, in their own hometown.”