The Department of Public Health (DPH) will be holding a PUBLIC HEARING next Thursday, February 25th at 4 pm as it considers BCH's application for its $1 billion expansion project that includes destroying the historic Prouty Garden.
We urge everyone who is able to please come to the hearing. Please plan to ARRIVE EARLY to assure a seat - especially if you would like to sign up to speak. This is a public forum, meaning anyone with comments that may be relevant to the Department's consideration of the need for this project is welcome to speak. While it's important that we simply fill the room with supporters to help save Prouty Garden, we also encourage anyone willing to share their thoughts to do so in support of the cause. Every story will be taken into consideration as the Department renders its decision. But numbers also speak volumes, so if you're not comfortable speaking, your mere presence is greatly appreciated. Please note that the DPH will limit each speaker to three minutes.
BCH cannot build without an approval from the DPH. The Department is taking a hard look at this project and has already required that the hospital obtain a third-party cost analysis demonstrating that the expansion project is “consistent with the Commonwealth’s efforts to meet... health care cost-containment goals.” This is only the second time in history that the Department has required such an analysis.
The hearing will be held in the Harvard School of Public Health Kresge Building, 1st floor cafeteria (677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115). If you can't appear at the hearing but wish to submit comments, you may write to the Department at Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Determination of Need Program, 99 Chauncy Street, Boston, MA 02111. Written comments will be accepted up until 5:00 P.M. Monday, March 7, 2016.
Please email us at saveprouty@gmail.com with any questions and RSVP to our FB event so we know you're coming. We need to show just how much support the Prouty Garden has!
