Bill Hubbs' election campaign for the Sunshine Coast Regional District's Area F (West Howe Sound) director position has stopped dead in its tracks - and the Grantham's Landing resident is simply glad to be alive.
"It is a little disappointing, but I'll be taking a deep breath and looking at life," said Hubbs, who described the three-vehicle collision he was involved in on the night of Oct. 16 as "near fatal." Hubbs was travelling south when he made contact with two northbound vehicles on Highway 101 near Gail and Oldershaw roads, near the former Peninsula Hotel. After glancing off the first vehicle, Hubbs said he hit the second vehicle "near the front left headlight." Hubbs, known in the community as the chair of St. Mary's Hospital Foundation, suffered only minor injuries, thanks in part to his vehicle's airbag. The occupant of one of the other vehicles was taken to Vancouver General Hospital by hovercraft from Davis Bay, since the weather was too murky to fly a helicopter. Rain, wind and patches of fog played a large role in the accident, Hubbs said.
"It's such a terrible piece of road - it's very dangerous," said Hubbs, who was using the centreline for guidance, because "it was impossible to see the shoulder of the road due to the rain," he said. "It's fortunate traffic was moving slowly."
"When you come that close to death, it's a re-examination of life's priorities," he said of his decision to end his election campaign, reached after hearing advice from friends and family in the days after the crash. "I've been a workaholic all my life. That's going to be the tough part for me - stepping down."
Hubbs said he will stay on as president of the hospital foundation and will continue to work towards realizing the full vision for the hospital's expansion. His departure from the Sunshine Coast Regional District race for Area F means current director Lee Turnbull, now running for re-election, will win by acclamation.
"I admire Bill's fundraising and financial expertise," Turnbull said. "He's a great community supporter, through projects like the CAT scanner, and I wish him well."
Hubbs is now waiting for approval from B.C.'s minister of community development, Blair Lekstrom, to formally withdraw from the election race. Hubbs expects to get that approval by the end of this week.
