Health Minister Mike de Jong will be part of an open forum hosted by the Burnaby Hospital community consultation committee next Tuesday night.
De Jong, along with representatives from the Frase Health Authority, will be takin g part in the event slated to run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown.
Organizers with the committee says that the event is open to local residents and anyone interested in getting involved or learning more.
The committee will kick off their series of public presentations tomorrow night, June 28, with a session at Bonsor Recreation Centre.
Upcoming sessions will also run July 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; July 19 from 4 to 7 p.m.; July 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Aug. 23 from 4 to 7 p.m.; Aug. 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Sept. 6 from 4 to 7 p.m.; and Sept. 8 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The final date for written submissions to the committee is Friday, Sept. 7.
Citizen chair Pamela Gardner told the NOW recently that local residents, community groups, unions and any other stakeholders are welcome to make a presentation or send in ideas, suggestions or comments.
"We really want people to come and engage - they can make a presentation or they can come and observe."
The committee, which is co-chaired by Liberal MLAs Richard Lee and Harry Bloy has taken criticism for being a "political" effort, but Gardner says their interest is in gathering as much information as they can to assist the overall master-planning process being undertaken by the Burnaby Hospital Foundation, Fraser Health and the Ministry of Health.
Email mybbyhospital@ hotmail.com to reserve a date and time to make a presentation, or to send in a written submission.
The committee has also recently rolled out a T-shirt campaign, with shirts available for purchase; the shirts can also be won by posting ideas on the committee's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mybbyhospital - each idea will equal one entry into the draw.
Gardner says the committee's use of Facebook and Twitter, along with projects like the T-shirt campaign, is an effort to reach as many people as possible through the coming months.
Burnaby Hospital serves about 400,000 residents in Burnaby and East Vancouver, and is home to the second busiest emergency department in the province.
