(DANA REYNOLDS / iNFOnews.ca)
December 16, 2015 - 2:45 PM
KAMLOOPS - Construction on the Royal Inland Hospital’s clinical services building and parkade continues move along, with a summer 2016 opening date being planned.
“With exterior work nearly complete, the building is transforming into a modern healthcare facility and parking structure,” Tracy Watson of Interior Health says.
When the pedestrian bridge was placed Sept. 25, linking the hospital to the new buildings and marking one of the last pieces of exterior construction. Watson says the tower crane, visible from many vantage points in Kamloops, will be coming down this week to allow for completion of storefront properties along Columbia Street.
She says when the roof is complete construction can turn to the interior. A hospital relocation team, Health Care Relocation, will work with teams within the hospital affected by the move and will ensure people, equipment and building systems are prepared to greet new patients by the summer.
Plans for the first phases of a patient care tower were announced by Minister Terry Lake July 10.
“Since Minister Lake’s announcement, contracts for mechanical, electrical/IMIT, and architectural team were awarded.... Also, user group sessions have begun and geotechnical investigations have been completed,” Watson says.
Interior Health expects to complete a business plan by the end of 2016 and submit it to the Ministry of Health for consideration.
As the construction continues, there will be intermittent road closures near the site. Watson says this week there will be closures along Columbia Street because of the crane dismantling but the hospital will remain open and operational.
The $80-million clinical services building will include parking, outpatient services such as laboratory, community respiratory therapy, pre-surgical screening, cardiac services, cardio-pulmonary lab and venereal diagnostics.
The building will also feature a lecture amphitheatre suitable for community functions and a simulation lab for UBC medical student.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Dana Reynolds at dreynolds@infonews.ca or call 250-819-6089. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015