Hospital celebrates 50% completion of new facility 

Today, hospital officials and construction workers marked the 'topping off' of Bluewater Health's redevelopment project. 

'Topping off' is a tradition on building sites that signifies when the highest point of the building has been reached.  The roof of the new seven-storey structure is now complete.   

Today's celebration also signifies the halfway point in the construction project.   

“Reaching this stage of construction has been the result of the planning, hard work and support of everyone at Bluewater Health and in the Sarnia-Lambton community,” said George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. “The progress on this project is indicative of our government's commitment to delivering a modern healthcare facility this community needs and deserves.” 

“I'm delighted to see progress in a project that will not only increase access to vital health care services, but also will help reduce wait times,” said David Caplan, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. 

The project involves renovations to approximately 145,000 square feet of existing space and the addition of approximately 325,000 square feet of new space, which will almost double the hospital's size.  Once complete the facility will house: 

  • A significantly larger Emergency Department;
  • A new Surgical Centre with eight new operating rooms and four new procedure rooms;
  • A consolidated Maternal/Infant/Child Program;
  • An additional 52 beds for a total bed capacity of 337 beds at the Norman Site; and
  • An atrium joining the new building with the existing Norman building. 

Construction began in October 2007 and will be completed in 2011. EllisDon Corporation is building the new facility. 

“Today is a significant milestone in our journey towards a new, state-of-the-art hospital.  Our dynamic team of health care professionals looks forward to working in this new, modern facility as they continue to provide compassionate care to the residents of Sarnia-Lambton,” said Sue Denomy, President/CEO, Bluewater Health.  “We continue to be grateful to our two Foundations and our community who, through donations for equipment, support our efforts to provide quality patient care.”  

Bluewater Health has begun to work with internal teams towards occupancy planning in preparation for program and service relocations to the new building at Norman Site in 2010.  Once complete, all programs in Sarnia will be consolidated onto one site.  Following that, renovations to the existing Russell building will take place. 

Infrastructure Ontario will continue working with Bluewater Health to redevelop the hospital, which will remain publicly owned, publicly controlled and publicly accountable.  Infrastructure Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to managing some of the province's larger and more complex infrastructure renewal projects - ensuring they are built on time and on budget.  

For more information about Infrastructure Ontario, visit www.infrastructureontario.ca. 
 
For more information about Bluewater Health, visit www.bluewaterhealth.ca.  

 

Contacts: 

Amy Tang    
Minister's Office   
Energy and Infrastructure   
416-327-6747 

Mandy Downes
Infrastructure Ontario
416-327-5246  
 
Meaghan Lawrence-Kreeft 
Bluewater Health 
(519) 464-4453 
 
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