Kingston General Hospital Auxiliary to pitch $2.5 million in massive 8-storey redevelopment

The Kingston Health Science Centre is entering the second stage of a massive three-stage redevelopment.

“It’s a big project,” said Dr. David Pichora at a cheque presentation at Kingston General Hospital.

Pichora is the president and CEO of the Kingston Health Science Centre which has K.G.H, Hotel Dieu Hospital under its wing.

This stage includes work on Hotel Dieu’s operating rooms and work at Providence Care’s long-term care facility Providence Manor.

The largest part of the work in the estimated $550-million project will take place at Kingston General Hospital.

Four aging buildings at the hospital will be replaced with a minimum eight-storey tower.

Pichora says it’s work that can’t be ignored.

“Hotel Dieu and KGH sites are the oldest continually operating hospital sites in the country.”

The new tower will be home to a large and varied group of the hospital’s services, according to Pichora.

“It’s intended to replace the operating room, which is among the oldest in the province, if not the oldest — our lab facilities, our emergency department, our labour delivery suite, neonatal ICU, pharmacy, data centre.”

The Kingston General Hospital Auxiliary has committed to raising $2.5 million for the redevelopment.

The province will cover 90 per cent of the construction costs. The rest of the money will have to come from the region, said Pichora.

“Communities in our region and the hospital are responsible for the other 10 per cent of the construction and all of the equipment.”

Pichora expects bids on the project could start in roughly the next year.

“Some of the demolition work could potentially start in 12 to 18 months.”

The entire redevelopment is slated to be complete by 2026.