Controversy in Uzwil: Should the Senior Home Have Been Converted?
In Uzwil, there is a dispute between the Thur Clinic and the former Marienfried senior center, which are located right next to each other. The clinic’s objection has now been approved by the canton. According to Jasmin Schams, a board member of the Thur Clinic, this decision was expected. “As direct neighbors, we have been stripped of all rights by the municipality,” says Schams to TVO. She believes that when converting a property, the direct neighbors should be involved.
In their objection, the clinic requested a building permit from the municipality for the accommodation. Such a permit would have been necessary for the conversion, as stated in the response to the appeal by the St. Gallen Department of Construction and Environment. For the municipality, this decision is a slap in the face. The municipality did not want to comment to TVO. However, it is clear that the municipality is appealing the decision to the administrative court.
For Jasmin Schams, this seems like a delaying tactic. She cannot understand why the municipality does not want to sit down with her. In the past year and a half, the temporary contract with the asylum center has been extended repeatedly without notification.
The clinic also faces another issue. The 120 asylum seekers living in the converted nursing home raise security concerns among many clinic staff. As a result, the clinic had to hire more staff for night watch. Efforts to find a solution with the municipality have failed. Schams believes that the municipality is not interested and is now escalating the situation. However, she emphasizes that they are still willing to have discussions.
Despite the lack of a building permit, the asylum seekers are allowed to stay in the accommodation. This is because the decision from the department did not include a ban on use.