Alberta Health Services is planning to close the Winfield Community Health Centre (located in MLA Jason Nixon's Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre riding) permanently at the end of June.
This office is a very vital service in Winfield and the large service area it serves. It provides home care services to approximately 110 clients including immunizations, dressing changes, water testing drop off, occupational therapy services, physical therapy services, and so on.
This office is of great importance, not only for the health services it provides, but also as an attractive reason for people looking for a retirement home.
I have talked with some people that have recently moved to our community and they said the health-care office was one of the reasons they chose Winfield.
Also, the in-house clients shop in our community. If they close this office and transfer clients to other communities, we will lose that customer base that is vital to keep our local businesses viable.
We have a petition with 1,800-plus signatures and I have been trying to schedule an appointment with MLA Jason Nixon to deliver it and to have some discussion with on this issue.
But it’s like he has no interest in meeting with me on this matter. Many phone calls and emails later to him, all to no avail. It’s just like he’s waiting until it’s too late. Then I guess he can say, ‘Sorry folks, nothing I can do now!.
That is not what we expect out of the MLA that was voted in and is paid to represent us, the constituents. This is totally unacceptable representation for us from him.
If he is going to give me the chance to deliver our petition and have a discussion on this matter it will need to be soon.
Max Borzel,
Winfield
