MLA Todd Stone, Mayor Peter Milobar and Norm Embree of Interior Health talk with BIRD Construction employees as they mark the official start of construction for the Clinical Services Building Friday afternoon.

(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

KAMLOOPS - Delegates were on hand at Royal Inland Hospital Friday to mark the beginning of actual construction of the new Clinical Services Building.

"Today marks one more step in providing high quality acute care to residents of the Kamloops region and is evidence of our commitment to the full redevelopment of Royal Inland Hospital," Health Minister Terry Lake said.

Site preparation began last fall and in March Bird Construction was named the design builder for the Clinical Services Building and at the time it was expected construction would begin within a couple months. The company has spent the last month preparing for the construction phase, which will take approximately two years.

Once complete the Clinical Services Building will feature an expanded and enhanced space for medical outpatient services, such as IV therapy, as well as the vascular improvement program, lab, community respiratory therapy, pre-surgical screening, cardiology and neurodiagnostics. The Clinical Services Building will also include clinical education program space, the UBC medical school, and improved site access with additional parkade stalls and a pedestrian bridge link connecting the new building to the main hospital.

"Interior Health's priority is the provision of safe, quality care to patients in all areas of our health authority. With the CSB, patients in the Kamloops region will be able to access their patient care needs in an environment that is both expanded and has easier access," Interior Health board chair Norman Embree said.

The Clinical Services Building project cost is approximately $79.8 million, and will be shared between the Province and the Thompson Regional Hospital District. Royal Inland Hospital serves the Kamloops area as well as patients and families throughout the Thompson, Cariboo and Shuswap regions, from Merritt to Lillooet, and Williams Lake to Salmon Arm.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infotelnews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

News from © iNFOnews, 2014