Construction crews at the site of the new Prince County Hospital have been working to complete the exterior aspects of the facility before the arrival of colder weather.
Since June, the McEwen Road extension to the facility has been constructed, paved and a sidewalk was installed. The remaining parking lots and traffic circle at the main entrance of the hospital are under construction and are almost complete.
Landscaping activities have been in full swing through the summer months. Grass is planted on more than 75 percent of the site, and a landscaping contract was recently awarded for planting beds, bushes and larger trees. Planting will take place through the fall.
Approximately 98 percent of exterior work on the building is complete with exterior door assemblies expected to be finalized within a few weeks. Construction of the large exterior louvers for the hospital ventilation system is probably the most noticeable absent feature at this point. Once the louvers are installed, they will blend in with siding as they are colour matched to ensure an even look to the structure.
By mid October, East Prince Partnerships Limited, the consortium contracted to construct the facility, hopes to have the exterior of the building and all paving and landscaping 100 percent complete.
The interior work is in various stages of completion. All areas are now steel-stud partitioned and and drywall is being installed in the 800 plus rooms in the facility. Painting of some of the finished drywall has also begun.
Finish work will commence in early fall and this will involve paint, millwork, ceilings and floors. The first area for the start of finish work is Ambulatory Care. The Ambulatory Care wing will provide a wide range of day surgeries and other short-term health services which do not involve in-patient or long-term hospital stays.
Back at the Facility Planning Office, work continues on developing RFPs for equipment purchasing. Ten RFPs for medical equipment were sent out last year, and now facility planners are developing RFPs for office equipment and furnishings. The generous community support provided to the Prince County Hospital Foundation's "Bring Good Health to Life campaign" has made it possible to equip the new facility with the latest in equipment.
Recently, staff, physicians and volunteers who work in the hospital were given an opportunity to tour the new facility and review progress in the various departments.
There were many comments from staff following the tour. Numerous people said that the facility was much larger than expected and that they were very surprised to see the detail already completed in the building. Many also commented on the use of natural light throughout the facility through the installation of wide windows and courtyard designs.
It is expected that construction for the new Prince County Hospital will be fully complete early next summer with a fall 2003 public opening after equipment is moved in and staff are oriented to the new facility.
For more information, please contact Rod Stanley at (902) 888-8026.