MOUNT FOREST – The opening of a new Emergency Department and Ambulatory/Oncology Unit at Louise Marshall Hospital this month was the product of visionary thinking, a decade of planning, years of fundraising and 24 months of construction.
“The two-year, $25 million expansion is complete,” stated North Wellington Health Care (NWHC) president and CEO Stephen Street prior to the opening of the renovated facility.
Dignitaries and hospital supporters gathered for a celebration of the project on Sept. 9.
Hospital transformation – Participating in the ribbon cutting at a Sept. 9 celebration of the opening of the Emergency Department and Ambulatory/Oncology Unit at Louise Marshall Hospital in Mount Forest were, from left: LMH Foundation board chair Bob Mason, fundraising campaign chair Dr. Robert McFarlane, Wellington North Mayor Andy Lennox, Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece, North Wellington Health Care (NWHC) Chief of Staff Dr. Chris Rowley, NWHC board chair Dale Small, NWHC vice-president, redevelopment and transition Cam Yates and NWHC president and CEO Stephen Street.
Photo by Patrick Raftis
The new 5,710 square foot Emergency Department officially opened its doors on Sept. 14. The new 7,000 sq. ft. Ambulatory Care/Oncology Unit opened the following week.
At the Sept. 9 celebration, fundraising campaign committee chair Dr. Robert McFarlane, explained that “a number of years ago,” a small group from the LMH Foundation and community members of people formed a committee.
“They were asked to raise $5 million and support the redevelopment of emergency rooms and the ambulatory care at Louise Marshall Hospital and the Always Here for You campaign was born. This seemed like a daunting task, but in true Mount Forest fashion … we were able to achieve our goal in just under two years and I think that’s a major feat,” McFarlane told a crowd of about 35 dignitaries, hospital officials and supporters at the Sept. 9 gathering. Following a brief ceremony, those in attendance were given tours of the expanded facility.
The LMH expansion project was approved in August of 2011 with shovels going into the ground in August of 2019.
The design of the expansion prioritized enhanced infection prevention controls and privacy, hospital officials state.
“Instead of having curtains between each treatment bay in the Emergency Department we now have sliding glass doors with complete privacy, providing a more dignified patient experience from start to finish,” explained NWHC chief of staff Dr. Chris Rowley.
“The new ER space also boasts two major trauma bays and increased treatment rooms,” Rowley noted.
Additional new features include a new bright and modern oncology unit, central patient registration, enclosed ambulance bay, new volunteer gift shop, donor recognition wall and patient drop-off lanes at the main entrance.
Oncology – New state of the art oncology facilities are among the upgrades.
Photo by Patrick Raftis
“On behalf of my fellow board of directors, I would like to thank the provincial government, Wellington County and the Township of Wellington North for supporting the Louise Marshall Hospital expansion,” said NWHC hospital board chair Dale Small.
“The hospital staff and physicians have worked hard to minimize the patient impact during construction, amid a pandemic. They are to be commended for their resilience and care provided during this time.”
Small added, “This investment in our rural hospital could not have come at a better time as demand on hospital services continue to increase.
“The expansion will allow our patients to receive their health care services close to home for generations to come.”
Street thanked the Mount Forest Louise Marshall Hospital Foundation, volunteers and donors for their “tremendous support” in raising $5 million for the local share of the project.
“The LMH Foundation is so pleased to see this project reach completion,” said foundation board chair Bob Mason.
“We are appreciative of the support of our community that helped to make this happen, and excited to see the improvements to local health care that this new facility allows for,” Mason added.
“Projects like these do not just happen without community support, which we certainly have and then some,” Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece stated at the Sept. 9 celebration.
“It’s an investment in bricks and mortar, but it’s more than just that. It’s an investment in the future of rural Ontario. It’s an investment in future generations who will live and work in this community, people who will need modern health care facilities.”
Wellington North Mayor Andy Lennox expressed appreciation to hospital workers for their efforts through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“On occasions such as today, one word comes to mind – gratitude. We will be eternally grateful to the people who work here and who continued to work throughout this difficult pandemic. Thank you for looking after us in our time of need. You are our heroes,” he stated.
Lennox added the community is also grateful for those people who made the hospital upgrades a reality, including the provincial government, hospital staff and the construction and design team.
“Especially, we are grateful to the people who had the vision and perseverance,” said Lennox.
“To all the staff, all the volunteers on the hospital board and on the hospital foundation, to all the donors that contributed to this project, you are the people who continue to make this a fantastic community to live, work and play.”
McFarlane said “many thank yous need to be extended,” to those who helped make the project possible.
He pointed out that group includes the Ontario government which “covered the majority of the building costs,” as well as local levels of government in Wellington County.
“They have been huge supporters to rural hospitals in this region,” he stated.
McFarlane also thanked the hospital’s donor base, including local businesses, service clubs, individuals and families
“Local children even had lemonades stands, bake sales and many other events to donate to our cause,” he noted.
McFarlane also offered “a big thank you” to Street and former Wellington Health Care Alliance CEO Jerome and their administrative staff “who worked tirelessly to move the project along and keep the foundation informed on a regular basis.”
“And also a big thank you to our doctors, nurses and support teams who worked through ongoing renovations and continued to provide the highest level of care to our patients … and then, on top of that, dealing with COVID 19,” he added.
