Bermudians, at least more than 100 attending a public meeting last night, would prefer the Arboretum or the current site for a new hospital.

That was the overwhelming feeling at last night?s public meeting at the Cathedral Hall in Hamilton.

According to studies conducted over the last two years, King Edward VII Memorial Hospital has a life-span of about eight years left.

The hospital was constructed in the early 1920 and renovated in the 1960s, but architects and developers say renovating the hospital is ?not an option?.

Project architect Ron McIntyre gave an hour-long presentation on the proposed new sites for the new hospital last night, as well as proposed campuses of care in the western, central and eastern parts of the Island.

This was followed by a round of questions and answers and the majority of concerns raised were about using the Botanical Gardens, which would include the loss of some 20 buildings and re-location of current Government staff housed in these as well as cost.

Mr. McIntyre said the three sites were favourable because of their central location, easy accessibly to both emergency vehicles and traffic flow.

As for using the current King Edward VII Memorial Hospital site, he said construction would take place up to 30 feet from the current building, and even though this would be disruptive, it was ?doable?.

The downside he said, was that the three campuses of care, or primary care centres, had to be constructed first to free up beds at KEMH which meant the completion date would be closer to 2012.

The new hospital would literally be built around the current hospital and would also take up a small portion of the Botanical Gardens.

However, once completed, the current hospital would be demolished and could be used to create another green space.

Another advantage to this site, he said, was the fact that other medical care facilities and doctors? practises were already in the area.

As for using the Botanical Gardens, while it would be minimally disruptive and would allow for a timely delivery by 2011, it would consume 35 percent of the current gardens which are considered not only necessary for the ?sanity? of Bermudians, but also historical.

The Arboretum, he said, would only take up the Eastern sloped part of the park.