COURTENAY/CAMPBELL RIVER – Local residents will be able to stay informed and up-to-date on construction progress for the North Island Hospital Project as two new interpretive centres opened today in the Comox Valley and Campbell River.
“For years, we championed for these two great hospitals, and I hope the community will enjoy learning about and watching the hospitals rise up as proof of our progress,” said MLA for Comox Valley Don McRae. “By providing these new hospitals to mid-and North Island, we’re demonstrating our commitment to providing patient-centred, quality care where our residents need it the most.”
Both interpretive centres include displays featuring site plans, artist renderings, construction schedules and other details about the new hospitals. The centres also include benches build by students at Comox Valley School District’s (School District 71) Sandwick Technical School.
“I come from a construction background and I never tire of watching all the activity on a big work site,” said Island Health Board Chair Don Hubbard. “It’s heartening to see so many people working hard towards improved health care for all.”
The Comox Valley Hospital site interpretive centre is located just off the sidewalk on the west side of Lerwick Road in Courtenay. The Campbell River hospital interpretive centre is located near the Campbell River City reservoir overlooking the southwest corner of the construction site.
“It’s exciting to watch these state-of-the-art hospitals growing in our communities every day,” said Comox Strathcona Regional Hospital District board Chair Charlie Cornfield. “We’re literally building local excitement.”
The $606.2 million North Island Hospitals Project includes a new $331.7 million, 153-bed Comox Valley Hospital in Courtenay on Lerwick Road near Ryan Road, and a new $274.5 million, 95-bed Campbell River Hospital on the existing hospital site at 375 – 2nd Avenue. Both hospitals are scheduled for completion by late 2017. “These huge projects have been attracting a lot of attention,” said NIHP Chief Project Officer Tom Sparrow. “Many people like to watch the big cranes and other heavy machinery at work on these sites. One of our Campbell River neighbours actually built his own small viewing platform before we did.”
Roughly 440 people are working on the two construction sites at this point, including 75 apprentices. Construction of the new hospitals will create an estimated 1,900 direct jobs and 1,400 indirect jobs over the life of the project.