North Memorial has broad support for building Maple Grove hospital
More than 10,000 area residents sign petition in favor of North Memorial
While the ultimate future for a Maple Grove hospital is still undetermined, the local communities have already voiced their opinion and their choice is the "hometown hospital" — North Memorial.
North Memorial's plans for a Maple Grove hospital have been reviewed by community leaders across the service area of the proposed hospital. Area mayors, city councils, and residents have voiced their support for North Memorial to become the "hometown hospital" for Maple Grove.
Exclusive endorsements of North Memorial have come from elected officials of the service area of the proposed hospital, including the city councils of Brooklyn Park, Dayton, Medicine Lake and Rogers as well as the mayors of Brooklyn Center, Corcoran, Crystal, Greenfield, New Hope, and Robbinsdale. In addition, an independent survey of Maple Grove residents showed the majority is in favor of North Memorial being the organization to build a hospital. This support was further demonstrated when more than 10,000 Maple Grove-area residents personally signed a petition endorsing North Memorial and encouraging the Senate to take action to support the bill passed by the House of Representatives — giving North the go-ahead to build a hospital beginning this summer. In addition, North Memorial has the support of Hennepin County Commissioner, Mike Opat; Minneapolis City Council member, Don Samuels; the I-94 West Chamber of Commerce; and the Monticello-Big Lake Community Hospital District Board of Directors — all representing service areas affected by the new hospital. Together, these communities represent a majority of the service area for the proposed hospital. No other proposed hospital has this level of community support.
"We believe the legislature should do what it has done 18 times before, and that is take action to amend the statewide hospital moratorium," says Rep. Kurt Zellers, main author of the House of Representatives bill that supports North Memorial’s hospital plan. "The Senate believes more review is needed, but we believe that because North Memorial has such a strong track record, and because they have such broad public support, it’s time to move ahead and make a decision."
