The Memorial Hospital Foundation held a giant party in the Drill Hall at Base31 last week. The community celebration marked the start of construction on a new hospital over a decade in the making.

Over 300 residents, Foundation and Board members, new MPP Tyler Allsopp, Mayor Steve Ferguson, families, and friends attended. A generous dinner was on offer from food stations by Smoking J’s BBQ, Mishran Foods, Cressy Mustard Co., The Sweet Retreat Bakery, and JW Farms.

Shannon Coull, PECMH Foundation Executive Director, opened the remarks by thanking “generations of families, local businesses, and volunteers for supporting a Back the Build Campaign that has raised $23 million so far,” enough to start work on a hospital expected to open its doors in 2027. “Residents of the county will now have access to the best quality care close to home.

“This is the largest project our community has ever undertaken,” she noted to loud applause.

Fundraising will be ongoing as the campaign goal is now $30 million for an expanding project, accommodating as many as 25 beds in a 100,000 square-foot facility. As Stacey Daub, Quinte Health President and CEO, put it, “We need $30 million, but we are over the finish line, we have crossed the point of no return!”

Mayor Steve Ferguson noted, “this is a huge milestone in this community’s journey.” He recalled the visionaries who led the way — Dave Gray, Leo Finnegan, and Monica Alyea.

A signal event, he remembered, was “a 2013 protest against cuts to the hospital that could have led to its demise. 5220 residents signed a petition, and brought it to Queen’s Park. When the government changed hands, local MPP Todd Smith stepped in.

“The hospital is,” he concluded, “a sign of our collective dedication.” He noted the municipality had jump-started the Back the Build campaign with a $4.5 million contribution.

Future Proof

Not only is the County building a state-of-the-art health care facility, with its own CT scanner, able to supply critical care for patients close to home, but the building will be future-proof.

 “We are showing that innovation doesn’t only happen in cities. We could not be more proud that this new County hospital offers a model for the rest of Canada. It shows what can be done in a small, rural community.”

Stacey Daub, President and CEO, Quinte Health

Architect Jason-Emery Groen, Design Director with HDR Architecture Associates, explained, “hospitals are generally some of the worst buildings from an energy standpoint. Generally, they are made of concrete and steel. Mass timber sequesters C02, keeping it out of the atmosphere. It is light and flexible to build with, making for a low carbon footprint.”

The building will employ geothermal technology for heating and cooling. The technology takes heat from the ground, making it a source of renewable energy that dramatically reduces building emissions. Holes will be drilled deep down to lay the pipes for a closed-loop geothermal system. The new build will be net-zero carbon ready. “It is not carbon negative,” said Mr. Groen, “but that is something that could come in the future.

“It will have the lowest energy use and intensity of any hospital in North America. We wanted to create something incredible.”

Ms. Daub also announced a partnership with Base31, which has offered space for a heli-pad for Air Orange, the hospital’s emergency helicopter service, during construction.

Close to Home

Lisa Lindsay was a former patient of Picton Memorial, and stressed how important it is that care be close to home. Ms. Lindsay had a six-week-old baby at home when she went out for a long walk one day. A car hit her from behind, shattering her right leg at the shin. The recovery took months, yet as she was cared for at the Picton Hospital, she could still help to care for her baby as she recovered.

That baby, 22-year-old Mallory, was also on hand to say hello. The speeches ended with a giant group photograph. Intended as a kind of time capsule to mark the historic occasion, the small children were put in front. The band Pushbroom Tycoons performed.

The Quinte Health project team will be holding community information events in future with highlights, images, and details of the design and build.