Ontario Construction News staff writer
Ontario is providing a $7.3 million grant for critical upgrades at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance’s (CKHA) Wallaceburg Site.
The province’s funding will pay for construction of a new power plant to replace aging equipment with new boilers, generators and electrical distribution equipment. The Replacement Power Plant Project marks the beginning of a phased approach to redeveloping the Wallaceburg Site to meet the community’s needs for years to come.
The new power plant is needed to support the hospital’s redevelopment plan which includes:
- 24-hour emergency department
- 5 inpatient beds
- Ambulatory Care including specialty clinics
- Diagnostic imaging including radiology and ultrasound
- Respiratory therapy
- Physiotherapy
- Laboratory services
“This is the first major building block for the hospital’s redevelopment,” said Monte McNaughton, MPP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex. “This is something very close to my heart. We’re committed to the highest level of care and service for the communities of Wallaceburg, north Kent, and south Lambton.”
The Wallaceburg site expansion is part of the province’s commitment to update hospital infrastructure in Chatham-Kent and follows an earlier $1.5 million grant to replace old heating and cooling distribution equipment.
“The construction of the replacement power plant is the backbone to ensuring service delivery for this community into the future and is another example of how the province is supporting high-quality and timely access to health care,” said Rick Nicholls, MPP for Chatham-Kent-Leamington.
The power plant construction is expected to be completed in 2021.
“Today’s celebration reiterates our mission that CKHA is one team, two sites serving Chatham and rural Kent,” said Greg Aarssen, board chair for CKHA. “We are pleased to officially welcome construction crews to begin this important work. There is much to look forward to with the redevelopment of this site and the future of health care delivery for the patients we will serve.”
Lori Marshall, president and CEO at CKHA called the announcement a milestone for the community.
“We know CKHA’s Wallaceburg Site is important to many community members and plays a significant role in health care delivery to the surrounding area,” she said.