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Click here to watch a video about the RVH Expansion |
April 24, 2009 -- Royal Victoria Hospital celebrated, not just the official groundbreaking for its Phase 1 Expansion Project today, but the region-wide “belief in a dream” that is making the redevelopment possible.
“This is not just a hospital we’re building. It is the heart and soul of the community, and people throughout this region should all be very proud of the milestone we are celebrating today,” said Chair of the RVH Board of Directors Steve Blanchet. “Your support of this project will allow us to enhance patient care; recruit and retrain skilled professionals; and ensure excellence is at the heart of everything we do here at RVH.”
The theme of the celebration was “believing in the future” as children dressed in surgical scrubs, lead by Ron Brown from the Kempenfelt Pipes and Drums, kicked-off the ceremony by arriving hand-in-hand with members of the RVH Auxiliary, followed by the Joy the Performing Arts Musical Theatre students singing “I Believe”, the slogan for the hospital’s community fundraising campaign.
“This expansion embodies our hopes and dreams for future generations,” RVH President and CEO Janice Skot told the hundreds of guests who packed the hospital’s atrium for the celebration. “Today we’re able to start a new chapter in Royal Victoria Hospital’s proud 112-year history, because the people of this region never lost faith that we could make that dream a reality.”
Barrie MPP and Minister of Culture Aileen Carroll said “I am pleased to see construction underway on Royal Victoria’s expansion project. This project demonstrates our government’s commitment to provide resources and facilities to serve the health care needs of people across Ontario.”
Construction is progressing rapidly on the $400 million expansion, which will double the size of the existing hospital and include 101 new inpatient beds and two patient care units for future expansion; a dedicated Coronary Care Unit; an expanded Emergency Department, Imaging Services Department and Laboratory; two new operating rooms; and the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre. The cancer centre will feature four radiation suites and will log 60,000 patient visits in its first of operation alone.
11 year-old Garrett McMullen, who lost his mother Doris to cancer just over a month ago, told the overflow crowd of the impact the cancer centre will have on patients and their families throughout the region.
“My mom battled cancer all my life and I don’t want anyone to ever have to go through what we did,” said Garrett who, while his mom was still alive, sold wristbands to raise money for the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre. “This cancer centre will provide other mothers and fathers with treatment close to home so they can be with their families - with their children – who still need them.”
Speaker after speaker paid tribute to the remarkable generosity of the people of Simcoe Muskoka who have contributed over $34 million to the hospital’s “I Believe” fundraising campaign. In addition to that money raised by the community, the City of Barrie has committed $52.5 million and the County of Simcoe has pledged $20 million.
“The support has been remarkable. From bake sales to bonspiels, people across this region have demonstrated a profound spirit of giving and unwavering faith,” said “I Believe” campaign chair David Blenkarn. “RVH is known as an incredibly compassionate hospital, and that kindness is a direct reflection of the compassionate community in which we live.”
Instead of the typical sod-turning, each of the ceremony’s participants – led by children with plastic shovels and pails -- planted seedlings to symbolize the impact the expansion will have on the region for generations to come.
“It has been said that ‘the true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit,’” said Skot. “In three years, when the Phase 1 Expansion is complete, these seedlings will be ready to plant on the grounds of an expanded RVH, where they’ll provide shade and protection for generations to come.”
The Phase 1 Expansion is expected to provide a significant economic stimulus to the region as well. Vanbots, the project’s general contractor, estimates the three-year project will generate 1,000 ‘person years’ of work, with over 200 construction workers onsite everyday -- 75 per cent of whom will be local. Once complete, the hospital will hire over 1,000 additional employees.
In addition to the 400,000 square feet of new space, expected to be completed in late-2011, about 100,000 square feet of renovations will occur within the existing hospital until 2013. Also being built adjacent to the hospital is Rotary House, a residential lodge for cancer who live more than 40 kilometers outside Barrie, and a Family Medicine Teaching Unit, in partnership with the University of Toronto.
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The crowd of participants from the groundbreaking ceremony gather on the front lawn |
Ready, Set - Build!
February 20, 2009 Construction on Royal Victoria Hospital’s Phase 1 Expansion Project is about to begin.
The ambitious redevelopment – the largest in Simcoe Muskoka history -- has reached its final, major milestone before construction can begin. Royal Victoria Hospital and Infrastructure Ontario have achieved Financial Close with the chosen contractor Vanbots, a Division of Carillion Construction Inc.
Financial Close signifies that all necessary steps, including a fixed price of $258.5 million and a set completion date have been determined. Work crews will begin to mobilize on RVH property almost immediately. Construction of the new addition and cancer centre is expected to be completed in fall 2011 and the significant renovations to the existing hospital by spring 2013.
“Royal Victoria Hospital is going to be a very busy place over the next three to five years, and this is truly cause for this region to celebrate,” remarks Janice Skot, RVH President and CEO. “This project will double the size of the existing hospital and allow RVH staff, physicians and volunteers to provide exceptional care to patients from throughout Simcoe Muskoka. In these extremely tenuous economic times, the project will be a tremendous boost to the region’s economy in direct jobs and spin-offs, but even most importantly, will bring quality, accessible care closer to home.”
The expansion will add 101 new inpatient beds; two additional Patient Care Units with 64 beds for future expansion; a dedicated coronary care unit, expanded Laboratory, Diagnostic Imaging and Emergency departments; two new operating rooms and the jewel in the crown, the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre.
“This is an exciting time for RVH and an achievement for which our region can be very proud,” says Steve Blanchet, Chair of the RVH Board of Directors. “The hard work and dedication of RVH staff, volunteers, and physicians, teamed with the tremendous community support has taken this project from a dream to a reality.”
That support has come from people right across Simcoe and Muskoka with contributions of a staggering $34 million towards RVH’s $35 million “I Believe” capital fundraising campaign. RVH’s Auxiliary jump-started the efforts with a $5 million pledge – which the volunteers have already met, three years ahead of schedule. Additionally, the commitment of $52.5 million from the City of Barrie and $20 million from the County of Simcoe helped to put this project on the fast-track for approvals from the provincial government.
The expansion will not only create hundreds of direct jobs but also create significant spin-off benefits, which will provide a huge boost to the region during this present economic downturn. When complete, RVH will have added 1,200 skilled health professionals to their payroll.
As a result of the construction, there will be some access changes beginning the first week of March for patients, visitors and staff coming to the hospital. The second floor or ‘main entrance’ will be closed to all but emergency vehicles or patients coming to the Emergency Department. All other patients, visitors and staff will now enter the hospital via the lower level, or ‘Outpatient’ entrance. Signage will direct the public to the appropriate entrance.
October 31, 2008. Royal Victoria Hospital celebrates another milestone today, as the Request for Proposals process for its Phase 1 Expansion project closes. RVH, in consultation with Infrastructure Ontario, will now evaluate the bids by pre-qualified vendors, choose the preferred proposal, and negotiate a final contract.
“This is another significant milestone for the Phase 1 Expansion project and terrific news for our community,” remarked Janice Skot, RVH President and CEO. “Despite the downturn in the economy, the provincial government remains clearly committed to RVH’s expansion project. We are keenly looking forward to identifying our builders and working closely with them and the Province of Ontario to get the shovels in the ground as soon as possible.”
Once the bids are reviewed and a contractor selected, it is anticipated construction will begin early in 2009. The Phase 1 Expansion includes 101 new inpatient beds, including a dedicated Coronary Care Unit; an expanded Emergency Department, Laboratory and Diagnostic Imaging; two additional operating rooms; two shelled-in patient care units to allow for future expansion; and the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre.
Site preparation construction has been underway at RVH for the past year and is expected to be completed next week. This has included a complete realignment of the staff, visitor and volunteer parking lots, relocation of electrical and sewer servicing for the entire site and new roadways. This critical pre-construction phase will permit the Phase 1 Expansion project to proceed on-schedule.
“People may not realize the magnitude of this ambitious project,” says RVH Board of Directors Chair Steve Blanchet. “When it opens in early 2012, it will almost double the size of the existing hospital and allow RVH to provide safe, timely access to the many programs and services the people of this region need.”
In addition to the province’s commitment to the Phase 1 project, community support has been outstanding throughout the entire Simcoe Muskoka region. To-date RVH’s “I Believe” capital campaign has raised $33 million of its $35 million dollar goal. Additionally, The City of Barrie has committed $52.5 million, while the County of Simcoe has pledged $20 million to the ambitious project.
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