MOUNT FOREST – On Sept. 12, dignitaries, staff and the community celebrated a groundbreaking for the expansion of the Louise Marshall Hospital.
Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece announced the province is spending $18.5 million on the emergency room and ambulatory care project.
“This investment will help provide better health care to patients and families in the area,” said Pettapiece.
Immediately after his election in 2011, Pettapiece offered his support to the project.
“It is now eight years later and we will finally be breaking ground on this important project,” he said.
Pettapiece called the project “great news for residents of the Township of Wellington North and surrounding communities. It will improve staff and patient flow, patient privacy, infection control, security and accessibility.”
During his remarks, Pettapiece acknowledged the many people whose efforts have helped bring the project to this point, including “my colleagues in elected public service, (Wellington North) Mayor Andy Lennox, members of township and county council, Speaker Ted Arnott (Wellington-Halton Hills MPP), and their predecessors going back many years.”
He added, “We thank the township and county staff, as well as my current and former staff at my Queen’s Park and riding office, for the many hours of work they have contributed. In addition, thank you to the Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network for their endorsement and support,” Pettapiece said.
“Most importantly, I want to thank the local volunteers, hospital board, donors, and campaign chairs who helped raise $5 million for this important project,” said Pettapiece.
“In a rural community, this is an outstanding demonstration of support. The commitment to support this project is no small endeavour.”
“This project is an investment in our future, in the future of our children and grandchildren.”
Pettapiece explained the project involves renovations to about 22,970 square feet and provides increased space for emergency and ambulatory services as well as new unfinished space for medical education.
North Wellington Health Care president and CEO Stephen Street said, “We are grateful to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for their investment and support.”
He added “When the expansion is complete, the overall size of the hospital will increase from 45,000 … to 57,000 square feet and much of the existing space will be renovated.
“The space will enhance our capacity to offer services, improve infection prevent and control, increase patient privacy, improve accessibility and will provide patient care close to home for our Wellington North residents for years to come.”
Street said “it’s hard to believe its been eight years since” the official approval of the project, which he said should take about 18 months to complete.
“It’s great to see the leadership of our board, our municipal partners, our LHIN, our other partners across the street with the Mount Forest Family Health Team, EMS, fire, OPP, volunteers, hospital foundation, physicians, frontline staff … everyone who has played a role.
“Every single contribution was important to the design of this new facility to serve the community for years to come – not just for us, but for generations to follow.”
Wellington North Mayor Andy Lennox called the groundbreaking an “important milestone in our community” and “an opportunity to celebrate how far we’ve come on this journey and with anticipation to travelling the rest of the way.”
Wellington North Health Care vice chairman Dale Small said “none of this would be possible without the support of the hospital foundation.
“It plays a critical role in ensuring we have the funds, equipment and capacity to deliver quality medical care close to home.”
Small added the expansion recognizes the growing needs within the community
Hospital chief of staff Dr. Chris Rowley noted all levels of government were instrumental in getting the project started.
“It’s nice to know that rural hospitals still matter. We are small and we can’t do everything – but what we can do, we do well,” Rowley said.
He added the renovation is much needed, as “the ER has been an out-of-date structure for many years.”
Rowley noted staff have done a great job in providing care in a rather confined space.
“Like any renovation, it won’t be fun for us to work through, but with patience from our patients, we will work to provide full service care throughout the renovation … and I look forward to snagging the first shift in the new ER,” he said.
Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott represented Mount Forest from 1990 to 1999 prior to major changes to provincial ridings.
During that time, he was very interested in the health care needs of the community.
“Randy Pettapiece deserves enormous credit for the work he did to get government approval for this project,” said Arnott.
“I know for a fact that he was absolutely relentless in approaching the ministers of health to get the approvals which were needed.”
About the project
The expansion will add 7,000ft2 to the ambulatory care unit and will more than double the size of the hospital’s ambulance bay (from 640 to 1,450ft2).
The hospital will “grow up” with a second storey addition for the ambulatory care department. A new triage area will increase privacy and help improve patient flow. The emergency department will grow from 1,630 to 5,710ft2.
The new building will be energy efficient, sustainable and environmentally friendly, officials say, and it will also update technology and clinical resources for physicians and staff.
Parking will increase and there will be a patient drop-off lane.
