After years of political promises, the residents of western Newfoundland should only have to wait 51 more months before the region’s new hospital welcomes its first patients.
Ground was ceremoniously broke at the construction site in Corner Brook late Friday morning, signifying the start of building the164-bed acute care centre that will ultimately replace Western Memorial Regional Hospital.
The new regional hospital is scheduled to be completed in 2023.
The contract to to design, build, finance and maintain the seven-storey, 600,000-square foot facility, awarded to the Corner Brook Health Partnership, is valued at around $700 million.
The consortium is the same team of businesses building the adjacent long-term care component of the health care complex. That building is set to open in February 2020.
Throughout the remainder of August, site perimeter fencing, more heavy equipment, and work trailers will be arriving on site. Excavation is scheduled to begin in early September followed by the pouring of concrete for the foundation of the building beginning in early October.
A job fair and employment website for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians looking to work on the construction of the hospital will also be hosted by Corner Brook Health Partnership in September.
The provincial government has promised the new hospital will have the same services currently provided at Western Memorial Regional Hospital, as well as an expanded cancer care program, including radiation services.
