Images of the site for the replacement of the Waterford Hospital inundated with water have renewed debate over whether the flood plain is the best location for the new mental health facility.
St. John’s Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O’Leary has long raised concerns about the new Adult Mental Health and Addiction facility’s location on a known flood plain.
Pictures from the site yesterday look more like a woodland bog than an area ready for the construction of a major health care facility.
O’Leary, a well-known mental health advocate, takes no pleasure in saying “I told you so.”
She recently spoke to homeowners in the same general vicinity who are not able to avail of flood insurance because of the risks in the area. She says it’s not just about the institution, but the negative impact on those in the area and who live downstream.
Leary’s Brook by the hospital on Sunday evening… pic.twitter.com/KnsE91nLSk
— Dr. TA Loeffler (@taloeffler) April 13, 2021