Officials with the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) welcomed Chatham-Kent-Leamington MPP Trevor Jones to the Wallaceburg hospital to announce “another significant step” in the ‘Our Hospital Our Future: Wallaceburg Redevelopment Project’.
CKHA officials say the Ministry of Health has approved the organization moving to the next phase of the redevelopment project – Stage 2.2 Sketch Plan Submission.
Check out our video of the announcement, below:
Hospital officials say the Stage 2.2 Sketch Plan Submission is part of the Detailed Planning stage of the Ministry’s Capital Planning process.
Stage 2.2 work will include development of further detailed integrated site/site servicing plan, floor plans, systems plans (mechanical and electrical designs), phasing plans, furniture and equipment lists, all associated specifications and design briefs, building code analysis, cost estimate, local share planning and proposed project scheduling, CKHA officials added.
Work within Stage 2.2 is expected to take six to nine months to complete the specification and tender package.
“This is the stage that immediately proceeds going to tender,” Lori Marshall, president and CEO of CKHA, told reporters following the announcement.
“Once the full project is done we will have a new emergency department, new medical beds, there will be six beds, which includes a palliative care bed. It includes a new diagnostic imaging area, new lab area and it also includes the demolition of our East wing.”
Marshall added that the projected cost for the overall project is approximately $42-million.
“We believe if everything went according to plan that we could have a shovel in the ground in the summer of 2025,” she said.
“We were hoping a little earlier than that, but in the ground in the summer of 2025 and then construction after that is about 18 to 24 months.”
CKHA officials say as part of this phase, community engagement work will be conducted through collaboration with stakeholders and user groups including staff, physicians, patients, patient experience advisors and community in a variety of formats and forums.
In early 2023, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent provided support for the Capital Project with a contribution of $4.5-million.
This contribution kicks off CKHA Foundation’s $9 million dollar campaign in support of the Our Hospital Our Future: Wallaceburg Redevelopment Project, CKHA officials added.
The campaign will raise the required funds to cover the community’s local share cost, which includes a portion of the construction cost for the Capital Project and necessary equipment to outfit the renovated space.
“We are thrilled to be able to kick off this $9-million campaign that will have such a major impact on patient care in Wallaceburg,” stated Christine Mitchell, President and CEO, CKHA Foundation, in a media release.
“We have such great confidence that this generous, caring community will come together to support this momentous redevelopment project, and we look forward to working with our partners at the provincial and municipal levels to enhance our hospital’s ability to meet the needs of health care delivery today and into the future.”
With a renewed focus on the Wallaceburg Site, the Our Hospital Our Future: Wallaceburg Redevelopment Project began with approval of the Replacement Power Plant Project from the Ministry of Health in spring 2018 to replace essential infrastructure with a total project cost estimated at $8.1-million dollars, CKHA officials said.
The province’s grant of up to $7.3-million funding went towards the construction of a new power plant to replace aging equipment with new boilers, generators and electrical distribution equipment.
The balance of the project cost was funded through hospital funds allocated for investment in this project.
Construction of the Replacement Power Plant began in October 2020 and concluded in October 2022, becoming fully functional after receiving occupancy in the same month.
“Every stage that we progress through the planning process, provides not only greater certainty, but also greater clarity about the level of detail,” Marshall told reporters.
“We’ve always said that this power plant was stage one and the government would not have supported the building of this power plant if there was not intention to support the rest of the building that will go along with it.”
Marshall acknowledged members of Save Our Sydenham group and the Wallaceburg community “who really fought for this hospital to stay in place.
“I hope and believe that long before this but every time we’re able to make an announcement like this, it really solidifies for people that this hospital is here to stay. 24-7 emergency department, really, really important and critical in rural healthcare and we have it here in Wallaceburg,” Marshall added.
To meet the needs of health care delivery today and into the future, CKHA has assembled a comprehensive redevelopment plan.
CKHA’s Wallaceburg Site will continue to focus on the community’s emerging needs with the current services:
– 24 hour Emergency Department
– 6 inpatient beds adjacent to the Emergency Department with one designated for Palliative care
– Ambulatory Care including specialty clinics
– Diagnostic Imaging including x-ray and ultrasound
– Respiratory therapy
– Physiotherapy
– Laboratory services (Point of Care testing)
“We know the Wallaceburg hospital is important to many in the surrounding community and has played a significant role in the provision of local health services,” stated Geetu Pathak, Vice Chair CKHA Board of Directors/Chair of Resources, in a media release.
“Today marks another significant step in the redevelopment of the hospital.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford had originally been scheduled to attend the hospital for the event. However, MPP Jones told those in attendance that due to dense fog on Wednesday morning in Toronto, the Premier was forced to cancel his trip to Wallaceburg.
More information about the Ministry’s Capital Planning Framework and the Our Hospital, Our Future: Wallaceburg Redevelopment Project can be found, here.
