Founding father: Tribute paid to man behind North Island dog agility News A3
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FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2012
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New hospital finally announced
Graphic used by Premier Christy Clark in announcing a new 95-bed capacity hospital for Campbell River yesterday. No design or preliminary drawings have been released.
95-bed, $266-million facility to be built on existing site Announcement includes new facilities for both Campbell River and the Comox Valley
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ampbell River will get a new 95-bed, $266-million hospital, Premier Christy Clark announced today. Clark gave the green light for the North Island Hospitals Project to build two new hospitals in Campbell River and Comox at an estimated cost of up to $600 million. “Our government is proud to invest in these two new hospitals to ensure North Vancouver Island families have the best medical care when they need it and where
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they need it – in their communities,” said Premier Clark. “These projects will also create construction jobs in the region and will provide long-term opportunities for health-care professionals and their families.” The announcement is a longtime in coming and the delay led to speculation that the two-hospital model would be revised. Last fall, Vancouver Island Health Authority officials alarmed Campbell River doctors when it proposed a one-governance, two-site hospital administration concept. During last fall’s civic election, eventual mayoral winner Walter Jakeway expressed suspicion that the lack of an announcement meant a new Campbell River hospital was going to be scrapped in favour of a regional hospital located in
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the Comox Valley, this despite insistence from incumbents and the Vancouver Island Health Authority that the original plan was still expected to be brought to fruition. Both new hospitals are expected to go to procurement this spring, with construction planned to begin in 2013 and completion estimated for 2017. The cost of the project is estimated at around $600 million, but is subject to change once the procurement process is complete. The project will create approximately 1,900 direct jobs and over 1,400 indirect jobs in industries supplying goods and services used in construction. Across British Columbia, we are committed to building patient care,” said Health Minister Michael de Jong. “With these two
new hospitals, we are meeting the challenge of ensuring that quality, cost-effective and timely health services are available to all British Columbian families in the years to come.” The new Campbell River and District General Hospital will be built at the existing hospital site on 2nd Avenue. The new hospital will have capacity for up to 95 beds, including mental-health and addictions beds. The new facility will replace Campbell River’s aging 70-bed acute-care facility, which was built in 1956, with additions to the facility in 1966, 1972 and 1990. The final hospital design is subject to completion of the procurement process. “It’s absolutely great news that the North Island Hospitals Project is moving forward. The
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two new hospitals will provide a much-needed major benefit to health care on the North Island,” said Comox-Strathcona Regional Hospital District chair Claire Continued on A5
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We asked: Have you cut back on driving due to the price of gas? You said: Yes – 85 votes (61%) No – 53 votes (38%) Today’s question: Are you happy with the two-hospital plan? Vote at campbellrivermirror.com
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