The new Groves Memorial Community Hospital will cost $127.5 million and should be completed prior to 2020.
On June 15 officials with Groves and Infrastructure Ontario announced they had closed a deal with EllisDon Infrastructure GMCH Inc. for the design, construction and financing of the new hospital.
Last month EllisDon was selected as the builder from among three bids, but the cost for the 45-bed hospital project was not announced.
Officials say the $127.5-million payment “will be made by the province and GMCH at substantial completion in late 2019 to ensure the project is delivered on time and on budget.”
GMCH board chair Howard Dobson said the board is “delighted” to have closed the hospital deal and “even more excited” to break ground on the project this summer.
“This milestone marks years of collaborative planning with our community, staff, physicians and volunteers to design a hospital that will provide optimal care for generations to come,” said Dobson.
Groves hospital building committee chairman Gord Feniak added, “There has been an enormous amount of planning and work done in preparation for breaking ground this summer. We can soon start to see this hard work take shape on the new hospital property.”
Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott called the announcement welcome News for area residents.
“Once again, I want to express sincere thanks to the staff and volunteers of Groves Memorial Community Hospital for their vision, caring and commitment,” said Arnott.
“By working together, we are finally close to seeing construction commence on our new hospital.”
Features of the new hospital will include:
– more space for emergency, ambulatory, diagnostic and inpatient services;
– 37 of the 45 beds will be in private, single-patient rooms with a dedicated washroom and shower and large windows (the remaining eight beds will be in two-bed rooms each with a private washroom);
– all inpatient rooms will have views of the surrounding rural landscape, including the Grand River and extensive trail network;
– modernized infection control measures, including additional isolation facilities, to enhance the hospital’s ability to respond to a pandemic or disease outbreak;
– a helipad to allow for faster access to patient transfers by air ambulance;
– large windows that allow natural light to penetrate deep into the building;
– simplified “way-finding,” making it easy for visitors and patients to navigate the hospital; and
– services most frequently used by outpatients will positioned closest to the main entrance to ensure easy access.
“I am pleased that we are one step closer to a brand new hospital in Centre Wellington,” health minister Dr. Eric Hoskins stated in a press release. “Improving access to high-quality healthcare in state-of-the-art rural facilities is a great example of our government’s commitment to putting patients first.”
Infrastructure minister Bob Chiarelli added, “We are very excited to have reached this important milestone for a project that will serve the healthcare needs of people in Centre Wellington for years to come while creating jobs and building up the economy.”
The new hospital in Aboyne will replace the current 44-bed facility in Fergus, which opened in 1955, with new wings added in 1965 and 1980.
