New Hospital Announced for Burns Lake
Burns Lake Hospital, (photo- Sean Davies)
Burns Lake , B.C.- The news delivered in Burns Lake today, has been a long time coming. Health Minister Mike deJong has announced the Province is moving ahead with plans to replace the Lakes District Hospital.
deJong also thanked all who had provided care and support during the January 20th sawmill fire "This was a terrible tragedy and the provincial government wants to ensure that everything is done to help families recover," said de Jong. "The
new hospital that is being announced today for Burns Lake will allow health professionals to continue giving high levels of support for those in need."
It is anticipated the new facility will go to procurement later this year, with construction expected to start in 2013 and be completed in 2015. The project will generate approximately 200 direct jobs.
"I am elated to hear that a new hospital for Burns Lake has been approved, this hospital will increase our level of health care services, create local jobs, and bring comfort to families and businesses in the Lakes District," said Village of Burns Lake Mayor Luke Strimbold, "Community groups, individuals, the regional hospital district and former councils have been working with Northern Health and the provincial government towards a hospital replacement for many years. On behalf of Village Council, I would like to thank everyone for their efforts; we can now celebrate our success. Northern Health engaged the community and requested input during the initial design stages for the new hospital and we look forward to continuing our working relationship as construction begins and health care capacity is increased in our community."
Examples of possible features for the facility include up to 16 beds, acute care services, emergency services, diagnostic imaging, a laboratory and pharmacy. There are also plans at the new hospital for a procedure room large enough to be used as an operating room in an emergency.
"The residents, physicians and the staff at Lakes District Hospital have all been eagerly awaiting good news on a replacement hospital," said Michael McMillan, Northern Interior chief operating officer, Northern Health. "Thank you to the provincial government, Stuart Nechako Regional Hospital District, and advocates of this project to assist with moving this project forward."
Anticipated cost of the new hospital is in the range of $50 million to $55 million and will be refined once the tendering process is complete and a contract awarded. Funding will be cost-shared by the Province and Stuart Nechako Regional Hospital District.
"It’s a great day for all people of Burns Lake and it has been a long time coming," said Ralph Roy, chair of the Stuart Nechako Regional Hospital District. "Thank you to government, Northern Health, regional district staff and all those dedicated towards the new hospital replacement who can now see our hard work has paid off."
The current Lakes District Hospital and Health Centre in Burns Lake was built in 1962 and refurbishing was deemed too costly. Since 2001, the Ministry of Health has provided approximately $500,000 to the Northern Health authority in support of improving the condition of the facility.
Comments
Are they going to have the resourses to staff it or just have a bunch of closed beds?
One can assume that the present staff is looking forward to moving into the brand new facility as soon as it is ready, so there won’t be just a bunch of closed beds.
Liberals are starting to buy votes with our money.
Can you take your political glasses off PVal and look at it from the point of view of healthcare for the people of the province. We all happen to pay for that no matter who is in power. At one point one has to replace things ….
Is this a facility that ought to hang around as is for another 5 or 10 years? If you think so, then say so. In fact, go to Burns Lake and let everyone know that we should not be paying for the replacement and that this is just a BCLiberals ploy.
No I cant Gus, not after all the cuts they have done to health care.
I have to agree with P Val on that one. Buying votes is the norm for the Liberals.
Really, can’t people just be happy because something good and significant has happened to people in the North? Burns Lake is no different than any other town…we think we deserve good things once in a while…it certainly doesn’t happen every day…we are British Columbians too..beleive it or not…
gus: “If you think so, then say so. In fact, go to Burns Lake and let everyone know that we should not be paying for the replacement and that this is just a BCLiberals ploy.”
You know as well as I that there are several posters who always see these sorts of things from the ‘bought vote’ angle. Nothing will change their minds, move along, nothing to see here.
btw, good for Burns Lake.
The news is great for Burns Lake however there have been 8 announcements in the past 3 weeks all starting sometime in 2013, hello anyone home?Governments have been pulling this grap forever and means 2 things an election is coming sooner than later or advisors are trying to improve the Governments polling numbers. Clark is in PG this week with even more grand announcements wonder if anything will start before May 5 2013.
If the vote buying theory had any validity, wouldn’t the government best served by only announcing projects where the population is (i.e. the Lower Mainland)?
I doubt Burns Lake (or any of these small communities) are the key to Liberal victory in the next election, which is still over a year away.
Really buying votes? Get your head out of the sand. The Hospital in Burns Lake is in such bad shape its is on the verge of being structurally condemned. This is not old news as Burns Lake has been trying to get a new hospital for several years and the decision to build a new hospital there has nothing to do with the recent fire events as the request was put in long before these events transpired. Fact is Burns Lake needed to either build a new hospital or have NO hospital at all!!!
I think many of you who make these outrageous comments should take the time to get more informed and actually take in a meeting with your local MLA. Or hey how about the government just stop spending money we can keep all our tax money, no roads, hospitals, policing, schools, etc…. but hey who needs any of that anyway.
Well said Hotwire…this is not a gift…it is something that is needed..it has been talked about for 13 years..we, the tax payer will have to pay for it no matter who is in power..there are over 10,000 people in and around the area…we need this..
Good news for Burns Lake. My question is why 55 million? That’s more than 3 million per bed. Seems a tad high when compared to other significant building construction projects around the north. As far as buying votes most of that money will not get to stay in the community.
Let’s see …
The Liberals have underfunded
1) Education
2) Healthcare
3) Legal Aid / the Legal System in general
4) Child Services
And now that they are stuck at 23%, split with the Conservatives at 23% and massively trailing the NDP at 43+%, they suddenly start spending OODLES of cash?
It fools no one. They are trying to buy votes again.
It won’t work.
Labour Unrest / Underfunding / HST Fiasco …
They’re done
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