Hospital celebrates the structural completion of new facility

TORONTO - Hospital officials, construction workers and community members gathered today to celebrate the 'topping off' of the Runnymede Healthcare Centre redevelopment project.

'Topping off' is a tradition on building sites that marks when the highest point of the building has been reached. Today's celebration marked the completion of the structure and the final concrete pour for the new hospital.  It is also the halfway point in the construction project.  The new hospital is being built on the existing Runnymede Healthcare Centre site and will replace the older facility which first opened in 1908 as Strathcona Public School.

“Reaching this stage of construction has been the result of work spanning back decades by the patients, residents, volunteers, and the staff of the Runnymede community,” said George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. “This milestone recognizes their ongoing advocacy and enshrines our government's commitment to delivering a modern healthcare facility this community needs and deserves.”

Once completed, the state-of-the-art hospital will provide specialized complex continuing care to adults of all ages and more than double the number of beds from 95 to 200, reducing wait times for clinical and medical services. Enhanced services to be offered in the 180,000 square foot facility include a full range of therapeutic services such as:

  • physiotherapy; 
  • occupational therapy; 
  • communication and swallowing therapy; 
  • audiology services; 
  • respiratory therapy;
  • customized dietary programs; and, 
  • recreation therapy and social services.  

Construction of the new Runnymede Healthcare Centre began in November 2007 and is expected to be completed in summer 2010.  Bondfield Construction Company Ltd. is building the facility. 

“This project will allow our staff to provide the specialty care our patients require within a state-of-the-art facility,” said Connie Dejak, President & Chief Executive Officer, Runnymede Healthcare Centre.  “This project would not be possible without the generous and on-going community support for the Hospital's programs and services, we cannot thank them enough.”  

Infrastructure Ontario will continue working with Runnymede Healthcare Centre to build the replacement 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.  

Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca for more information. 

Contacts: 

Lee Gould 
Runnymede Healthcare Centre 
416-762-7316, Ext. 263 

Jennifer Sclisizzi 
Infrastructure Ontario 
416-325-7409 

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