The new Sydenham Campus power plant in Wallaceburg will be on the Chatham-Kent Council agenda on Monday night.
Chatham-Kent staff are recommending to approve a site plan control application to permit the construction of a new central power plant at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance’s Wallaceburg location and execute the site plan agreement.
“Over the last year, CKHA has been preparing a long-term Master Program/Master Plan for both the Chatham and Wallaceburg sites,” said Ryan Jacques, municipal planner, in a staff report.
“In Wallaceburg, CKHA is planning to assume a role more focused on the Community’s emerging needs through the following services: a 24-hour Emergency Department, five inpatient beds, enhanced Ambulatory Care, and Diagnostic Imaging, Respiratory Therapy and Physiotherapy services.”
Jacques said the Master Plan proposes a series of projects over a number of years to substantially replace the current facility on the existing site, a plan that could span 10 to 20 years.
“Outdated facilities and inadequate program space have prompted an urgency for capital investment,” Jacques said in his report.
“During the Master Plan work, it was identified that the need for a new Power Plant was the highest priority project phase. Following the Spring 2018 announcement of Ministry of Health funding, work on the new Power Plant was initiated. This plant will more efficiently support the existing facility as well as all future phases of work.”
Jacques said no future phases have been approved.
“These future phases would require government approvals for each stage of work prior to implementation,” Jacques wrote.
“Although the Power Plant is a separate project, the overall Master Plan is predicated on its completion and back feeding of all existing operational services. As part of the overall Master Plan, the Power Plant has been strategically located and sized to support future stages of the redevelopment.”
Jacques added: “The plant serves as a hub between the existing buildings and the new mechanical and electrical services, but also between these existing buildings and any future stages of redevelopment. This will allow for the replacement of existing portions of the facility with new construction over time, and will allow for these existing portions of the facility to be utilized while the incremental revitalization occurs.”
The subject property is located on the north side of Margaret Avenue, between Dora
Drive and Highland Drive, in Wallaceburg.
CKHA has secured $7,300,000 in funding for this project phase through the Ministry of Health.
“It plans to start construction in 2018 with completion in summer 2019,” Jacques said.
“Municipal Site Plan approval is required prior to commencement of construction. Future phases of the overall redevelopment plan will require site plan approval, based on the Site Plan Control By-law of the day.”
Monday’s combined planning and regular meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre in Chatham.
