Developer Daryl Branscombe axed as Fredericton hospice director

The man who was the driving force behind establishing Fredericton's first residential hospice has been ousted as executive director and CEO just weeks before its opening.

Property developer Daryl Branscombe led a successful capital campaign to raise more than $2 million to refurbish Rosary Hall into a 10-bed facility for the dying.

The hospice also includes an adult day program to provide relief to people caring for their loved ones at home.

• Hospice in Fredericton ready to provide palliative care
• Former Rosary Hall in Fredericton becoming a hospice

The community helped raise the money to pay for the $4.5 million to the project, including a $500,000 gift from Rosemary McCain-McMillin.

It's scheduled to open in mid-April.

Branscombe confirmed to CBC News Friday he's no longer involved after being removed by the board.

His job as CEO and executive director has been posted without explanation for the sudden vacancy.

Members of the hospice executive were not available for comment.

The hospice project was a personal one for Branscombe who lost his own children to a rare auto-immune disease and they died less than two years apart.