A ceremony was held in 2007 to break ground for a new hospital in Strathcona County, but little other progress was made. Now, six months after the hospital was originally supposed to be completed, the construction is finally under way.
For residents the new hospital can’t come soon enough.
"It’s about time, we’ve been looking for it." Strathcona County resident Dave Marshall told Global News. "We can always go into the city to the University and that kind of stuff, but this will give us a better option."
Mayor Cathy Oleson says council only found out about the construction this week.
"We got a letter from Minister Zwosdeskey on May 4th and the conformation was there that we were moving ahead and the pilings are going in in the next week or two."
There are currently few details available about the new hospital, but it will be a 24 hour facility equipped to handle emergency cases. The growing community currently has a health clinic where residents can go for emergency help until 2:00 in the morning, but after that they must drive to Edmonton to seek care.
"When you consider we’re the third largest municipality in Alberta and we’ve got a lot of young families and seniors, this is like a 24 hour clinic that we don’t have." Oleson said.
It is hoped that the new facility will be completed by 2012.
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