Dear Editor:

I believe that the hospital site owned by the town is actually owned by the taxpayers. Therefore, the taxpayers should determine what it should be used for. Let this be an issue voted upon at the next local election in NOTL, not by council.

From my limited knowledge of the various proposals considered, let me point out that the worst is turning this precious piece of land into a parking lot. What a shame.

The NOTL hospital is located in one of the most central areas of this historical town. It also has a solid building that can be converted and built upon to provide small residential units for our aging population.

The suggestion that this will only cater to the rich lacks a familiarity of rich people’s habits. The rich will find a place just as luxurious as where they live in now.

What we need at our hospital site is a mixture of residential units for aging local taxpayers. Applicants can be based on a point system, assessed according to length of residency in NOTL alone, age, etc. Abutting towns and cities should not be included, because the taxpayers of NOTL should come first.

There are many ways of giving back some benefits to the local taxpayers. Aside from providing a familiar and central area to live, additional health-related services can be available. We need a small walk-in clinic, X-ray and blood test services, if possible.

The pharmacy can be relocated to this area, as well as massage, physiotherapy and health store, so that other aging residents of Old Town can walk to this location instead of a need for someone to drive them for their needs.

Those who cannot walk to this location will not have to spend a lot on gas or Uber fees. It also saves money and time that we do not have.

Besides, with all the massive current construction going on, it might turn off the hordes of tourists who clog the parking spots in Old Town and we won’t need additional parking for a while.

The use of the hospital site must not be a parking project. We must have more common sense than that.