From left, Penticton MLA Dan Ashton, former district hospital chair Walter Despot and B.C. Premier Christy Clark perform cermeonial sod turning duties to signify start of construction at Penticton Regionial Hospital this morning, Tuesday, July 12, 2016.

(STEVE ARSTAD / iNFOnews.ca)

PENTICTON - Construction of Penticton’s new hospital care tower got off to an official start this morning with a ground breaking ceremony in the hospital parking lot.

The assembly was well attended today, July 12, by many of the region’s politicians, as well as B.C. Premier Christy Clark.

Calling the Okanagan “the greatest place to live anywhere in the world,” Clark said as the community grows, so must services. She said today’s official groundbreaking was "the first steps to welcome the next 100 years of Penticton Regional Hospital.”

Clark said the B.C. Liberals promised to build the hospital two years ago in an announcement greeted with skepticism, but “here we are today, keeping that promise, promises made, promises kept.”

Clark called the project a true partnership in bringing the regional district and Interior Health into the picture.

“That’s why we’re here today, because of the local leadership in making this happen,” she said.

Contractor EllisDon will build, design, partially finance and maintain the new tower for a 30 year period. The 281,700 square foot, $312 million facility will provide five up to date operating rooms, bring outpatient care services into one building, and add three floors of single occupancy inpatient rooms to the hospital. There will also be expanded space for the UBC Medical Faculty of Medicine Program.

Construction of the additional facilities will take place while day to day operations continue at the hospital. Phase one is expected to be complete in 2019 with the opening of the new tower, following which Phase two will see the emergency department expanded.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2016