Community effort is a driving force behind the new North Bay Regional Health Centre.
To gain an edge in what people want from a new hospital, the joint executive committee created a test lab in the Northgate Shopping Centre.
"We built two patient bedrooms, a private and semi-private, so we could actually have a look at our plans and to make sure what we were building was suitable," says Pat Stephens, North Bay General Hospital public relations co-ordinator.
The test lab opened in November 2002 and is just closing down.
"It allowed the community to come in, have input and talk about some of their issues they noticed when they were in hospitals," says Stephens. "It has been an extremely useful process."
Thousands of people came to the test lab and about 400 people filled out surveys regarding the test lab.
"I say about 85 to 97 per cent of the surveys were favourable," says Stephens. "People liked the facilities, liked what we were doing and enjoyed the opportunity to come in and give us feedback."
The unique approach was such a success that the committee is doing it again with a nursing station and a critical care unit for people to go in and supply their input.
The $211.9-million project has received a generous boost from the provincial government totaling $166.5 million.
The mental health centre is 100 per cent funded by the Ministry of Health. The remaining $39.4 million towards the hospital must be raised within North Bay and the surrounding communities. North Bay General Hospital Foundation set a target of $15 million. So far, the community has responded, and as of early February the capital campaign had reached $13 million. The campaign received a $250,000-contribution from the North Bay Canadian Tire Store employees, through payroll deduction, and dealer matched funds. The contributions will occur over the next five years. Significant contributions have been made by Tembec, through a $4-million donation and Grant Forest Products through a $2-million donation.
"We hope to have the campaign wrapped up by June," says Stephens. Currently there is not a lot of action on the site, but that will change in the spring.
"About 12 months ago we had wick drains put in every five feet on site to remove some of the water that was trapped in the clay," says Stephens. "In order to get the clay out, there was three metres of fill put on top of the wick drains with the intent of putting weight on the clay to squish the water out."
Once the frost is gone, the fill will be removed and site preparations can begin.
"There will be lots of activity this spring when we get the site prepared."
In the spring a road system will be built along with parking lots, water and sewer systems from the city and an electrical sub station. The Ministry of Transportation will work with the Centre to build a new entrance from highway 17 to the new facility.
"Tenders for the preparation work will go out shortly and hopefully it will be a local company," says Stephens.
Construction of the actual hospital is expected to go to tender in the summer. Once a company is aboard, it is anticipated the construction will begin in the fall and finish in 2005. The new facility will be about 700,000 square feet. It will be built with future expansions and technology in mind. There will be a space built for a MRI, even though the hospital does not have one yet. They are in the process of applying for one.
Also, rooms will have the ability to be hooked up to computers.
"The facility has been designed to accommodate expansions in the future should we have toexpand."
The construction is expected to be a boon for the people of North Bay and the region.
"The construction will take two years and result in many jobs with good wages," says Mayor Jack Burrows. "It will contribute to our economy in a huge way."
Once the centre is open and accepting patients, it will be another benefit to the region by bringing people into the city to spend money.
There has been plenty of detailed planning over the past three years.
"This is to make sure when we go to tender that we have a fixed price that this project is going to cost this many dollars, so we are not going to make any other changes because we have done so much background work to get our plans as detailed as possible."
All of the work was done by about 450 employees, physicians, people from the community and the joint executive committee.
There is a lot of excitement surrounding the opening of the facility.
"I am looking forward to it and it will be a great day for North Bay and the region," says Burrows.
