The change of ownership of a property that houses an important collection of health care and other services in Morden is being heralded as a vital step for the community.
The former ownership group of Boundary Trails Place, which is centred in and around the former Morden hospital building, recently completed the sale of the property to the Morden Community Development Corporation (MCDC).
Both parties saw it as a good fit given the importance of what all is there, including not only Menzies Medical Centre but other essential services like the adult education centre.
“When the opportunity arose this fall, we unanimously as a group felt this was something we needed to take on … to protect the future of some really vital health and education services in our community,” said Chris Willsey, board chairperson of the MCDC.
“It’s a critical part of this community. It’s a cornerstone for important community services and for health care,” noted Dr. David Goerz, representing the former ownership group.
He recalled the formation of the medical centre in 1963 and the medical staff who made it happen for the good of the community, and then how in the early 2000s, when the new regional hospital was opening, people like Dr. Bob Menzies and John Wiens recognized the importance of having the opportunity to take over the old hospital building.
“We continued to move forward, but it was always with the plan of what was best for the community,” said Goerz.
He noted there had been a few opportunities in recent years to pass on the property to various outside interests, but they were glad when MCDC stepped forward.
“We came to the consensus that this would be a good transition … this was a good thing for the community.”
MCDC recognizes the critical importance of maintaining this property’s role in supporting health care services and ensuring its stability for the benefit of the community, said Willsey.
“Doctor recruitment and retention are top priorities for our community, and the preservation of affordable, high-quality space for health care providers is essential,” he said. “By acquiring Boundary Trails Place, we are taking proactive steps to ensure that our medical clinic and health care services remain accessible and well-supported for years to come.
“It was such a vision of that former ownership group to assemble that … it’s unparalleled. Where else do you find something like that,” Willsey added. “We felt the importance of how that needs to continue into the future. Healthy communities need healthy services, and we’re all about helping the community of Morden grow and prosper.”
In conjunction with the sale and transition, the former ownership group made a $300,000 donation to the Minnewasta Golf and Country Club—a gift that was announced at the clubhouse opening gala New Year’s Eve just days before the fire that heavily damaged the property.
“It was important to us to pay it forward,” Goerz said. “We thought it was a very good way for us to help carry on the legacy.”