LETTER: We should have kept hospitals by the river

SooToday received the following letter from reader Glenna Davey in response to our report headlined 'Decrepit hospital site featured in new Youtube video' published on Nov. 15.  

Many years ago, I was a patient at the General Hospital.

I felt it to be a difficult time, personally.

It was therapeutic to look out the windows and watch the ships go by, sliding quietly up river.

Patients were fascinated by the long strides the ships took while navigating the waterways.

People loved parking their wheelchair-bound patients down closer to the river.

Summer was especially a change from sitting in bed all day.

The view of streetlights going up the hill in soldier like order, was a sight to behold, as soft snow fell onto city streets, especially at Christmas.

The Plummer Hospital was no different. Its front room allowed patients to watch activities from that room.

It was a poor decision to put the hospitals on Great Northern Road. What do you see?

Well, you get to take in the highway, with lines of transports, trucks, noise, and traffic, with the ever-present noise of commerce, looking out the window, displaying skeletal remains of trees and grey bushes.

The hospitals should have remained as hospitals, and the City should have bought up surrounding homes directly beside them, at times when real estate was cheaper.

What a shame.

I'm disgusted by what has happened under the current owner.

Sad for our city.

Glenna Davey, Sault Ste. Marie