The Banks Peninsula is to get a replacement for its earthquake damaged hospital, but the local community will need to contribute $2.5 million to the new facility.
Akaroa resident Gloria Calcutt with a photo of the former Akaroa Hospital, which she worked at as a nurse from 1977 to 2010. Photo: RNZ / Rachel Graham
The Akaroa Hospital was damaged in the September 2010 earthquake but continued operating until late 2011, when it was deemed unsafe, and in August 2015 it was demolished.
The Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) had proposed a medical centre in place of the former hospital, but the local community lobbied for something closer to what it had lost.
The former hospital was built in 1926, and sat on a hill above the picturesque township, offering views of the bay and the sounds of the birds in nearby Garden of Tane.
The town only has a permanent population of around 600 people, but Alan Bradford, the chair of the Akaroa Health Hub structure group, said locals felt strongly that some hospital services were needed.
"The last time they talked about closing the hospital (representatives of) the Ministry of Health at the time were on their way over, got into a storm, the driver got lost and they never made it. There are times when Akaroa can be totally isolated, not often but it can happen. Also I think it's important for our elderly folk that they have somewhere to recuperate and end their days in their home town."
Local GP Dr Suzanne Knapp said service in the last few years had been disjointed, and the decision from the health board was very welcome news.
She said it was not just the permanent residents who would benefit.
"In the summer our town swells hugely, and with the cruise ships coming we've got a massive population to cater for. Then of course in the winter we have the weather conditions, so we can get blocked off both through snow and flooding. We need beds so that we can look after people that are unable to access the tertiary health services."
The health board has now agreed to what it calls an Integrated Health Facility, which will include the general practice and other community services and, importantly, eight aged care beds and four GP in-patient beds.
However, to get this the local community has had to promise to raise $2.5 million towards the construction costs, in a one-off contribution.
Alan Bradford of the Akaroa Health Hub Structure Group checks out the view at the site of the former Akaroa Hospital, and the future site of the new health facility. Photo: RNZ / Rachel Graham
Alan Bradford said this would be a huge ask for the community, but he was confident they could do it.
"Luckily the CDHB has granted us a bit of lee-way there, and they will continue with the build and we will pay them back as quickly as we possibly can. We are very thankful for that. It will allow us to add those eight rest homes, or aged care beds, and now we need to get into the fundraising and go for it."
Fundraising has been underway for sometime, including fun-runs, raffles, musical events, auctions, and donation buckets at various locations around town.
Gloria Calcutt, who worked as a nurse at the hospital from 1977 to 2010, has been donning her nurses uniform and collecting donations from the cruise ship passengers when they get off at the wharf.
For a donation she has been offering free blood pressure and free blood sugar tests, while a friend was doing reflexology.
The fundraising efforts across the village have amassed almost $500,000 so far.
Ms Calcutt said she hoped some of the millionaires who have holiday homes in Akaroa will also now consider dipping into their pockets to help out the project.
The health board has agreed to provide financing to cover the $2.5 million, with an agreement yet to be drawn up on how long the community has to reach the target.
The facility will end up owned by the community-owned company the Akaroa Health Hub Ltd, and details around that ownership are also yet to be determined.
The CDHB has called for tenders for the construction. The CDHB said it had committed to construction getting underway by November 2016, with a projected completion date of later next year.
