Remodel or build new

Dear Editor, 

Twelve years ago my husband and I were living in the comfortable, two-bedroom house his family bought in 1938. Through the years upgrades had been done to make it modern and adequate for visits from our family who didn’t mind sleeping bags on the floor or in the back yard.

Discovery of a 6-inch space between an outer wall and the roof showed that the exterior was un-reinforced brick. An architect heard our ideas to do a remodel to add a family room, another bedroom, and replace the outer wall. It was all do-able. However, he cautioned us to remember, we would still have an old house with probable aging problems in the future. Thus we decided to demo the house and build a new one.

It was a good decision. This past winter my husband died and I was able to sleep 11 adult relatives who needed privacy of their own rooms. The modern kitchen provided conveniences for preparing food for 18 people. Our decision 12 years earlier to build new allowed for the changes that had taken place in our family needs.

This scenario parallels the decision that Chelan citizens must make on the New Chelan Hospital Bond Issue. Forty-five years ago Chelan residents bonded themselves with taxes to build a hospital that would provide for future needs of the community. That hospital has been upgraded and used quite well, but it’s old and in need of more than a remodel. We should remember that a remodeled hospital will still be an old hospital with more aging problems in the future. It’s our turn to “pay it forward” and build a modern hospital that will provide the space needed for growth and future medical needs. Vote YES for a new hospital. 

Susan McKinnon

Chelan