Project status update

Concrete pours for the suspended slabs are now underway! Pours for Level 1 started in late-January and are almost complete, Level 2 started in March and will be complete in June, and Level 3 is anticipated from May to July.

In February, members from the various project teams attended an in-person mock-up review of a typical multi-trade rack (MTR) in Coquitlam to provide feedback and discuss the pre-fabrication design. The MTR’s will start arriving on site in late-June.

In early-March, Graham Design Builders submitted the 95% design for review. The project team is currently working through the feedback and comments received from user groups. The 100% design submission is anticipated to be received later this summer.

Following the 95% design submission, mock-up #3 was held in the Quonset hut on the site of the current hospital for leadership representatives to experience key features of the design and provide feedback. The mock-up consisted of two fully constructed patient rooms and included sample materials and finishes, millwork locations, and key equipment and furniture.

A Request for Proposals (RFP) was posted for an Operational Readiness Advisor and proposals are already being received. The scope of work for operational readiness services will be divided into three phases with key focuses.

• Phase 1 – Educate and inform DCDH leadership on the operational readiness process and assess preparedness and capacity.
• Phase 2 – Focus on the operational readiness development and implementation, which includes developing work plans for all individual programs, units and services.
• Phase 3 – Work closely with leadership, staff and user groups to execute the work prepared in previous phases and support the transition to the new hospital.

Road Closure Notices

As of April 26, 2024, the road south of the DCDH construction site and the rear access road to the Northern Lights College (NLC) campus will be closed until further notice due to construction activities. There will be no vehicle, pedestrian or cyclist access through this road until it re-opens. Some NLC parking stalls located near the road closure will also be impacted.

Pedestrians and cyclists accessing NLC, Campus Kids Daycare or the Community Garden will have to do so via 112 Ave or 116 Ave.

Vehicles accessing NLC, Campus Kids Daycare or the Community Garden will have to do so via 116 Ave or 8 Street/Highway 2. Parking at the community garden will not be impacted.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Engagement Initiatives

Education, job and career fairs

Recently, a series of education and career fairs have been held at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, Saulteau First Nations, and Dawson Creek Secondary School South Peace campus. Ashley Pannozzo, our Community Engagement Liaison, has been in attendance to share information about the new build and employment opportunities at the current and future hospital.

Byron Stewart, Northeast Recruitment and Retention Ambassador, and Machiel Mostert, Engagement Lead for Volunteer Resources, also attended these events to share information about job opportunities, career paths and volunteer opportunities with Northern Health.

Attendees of the fairs were able to take a copy of the DCDH employment flyer, DCDH quick facts flyer, Northern Health Grow Our Own booklet, and the Health Career Access Program brochure.

A lot of students expressed interest in pursuing health care education or careers. Others were interested to hear about the variety of non-clinical and support services positions as well as trades opportunities with the construction of the new hospital.

100+ Women Who Care Gala

Vicki Rose, Executive Director, Dawson Creek & District Hospital Foundation, and Ashley Pannozzo were invited to attend the recent 100+ Women Who Care fundraising gala. Attendees were able to learn about the exciting campaigns the DCDH Foundation has underway, and the progress being made on the construction of the new hospital.

Interested in learning more?

Browse Let’s Talk DCDH

Here are some stories, photos, videos and documents that have been shared recently:

• Road closure: As of April 26
• Road closure: April 22-26
• Construction Camera Timelapse - March 2024
• Drone video - March 2024
• Monthly labour reporting table - As of March 31 2024 (pdf)
• Drone video of site of new hospital
• Career fair at Dawson Creek Secondary School
• Education, jobs, and career fair at Saulteau First Nations
• Mock-up #3 in the Quonset hut
• Construction Camera Timelapse - February 2024
• Monthly labour report - As of February 29 2024 (pdf)
• Multi-trade rack mock-up in Coquitlam
• Education and career fair at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School
• Name those cranes!
• Level 1 suspended slab pours
• Monthly labour reporting table - As of January 31 2024 (pdf)
• Construction Camera Timelapse - January 2024
• A Project Update: January 2024

Contact us directly

Email us at LetsTalkDCDH@northernhealth.ca.

As of April 28, 2024, the road south of the DCDH construction site and the rear access road to the Northern Lights College (NLC) campus will be closed until further notice due to construction activities. There will be no vehicle, pedestrian or cyclist access through this road until it re-opens.

Some NLC parking stalls located near the road closure will be impacted. Parking at the community garden will not be impacted.

Pedestrians and cyclists accessing NLC, Campus Kids Daycare or the Community Garden will have to do so via 112 Ave or 116 Ave.

Vehicles accessing NLC, Campus Kids Daycare or the Community Garden will have to do so via 116 Ave or 8 Street/Highway 2.

See the map below for more information about alternative routes.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. If you have questions or concerns, please email LetsTalkDCDH@northernhealth.ca

Map credit: Northern Lights College Marketing

From April 22 to 27, 2024, a section of the Northern Lights College (NLC) campus road will be closed due to construction activities for the new DCDH. Vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist traffic will be diverted around the closure. Some NLC parking stalls located near the road closure will also be impacted.

See the map below for more information about alternative ways to access the NLC campus and buildings.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. If you have questions or concerns, please email LetsTalkDCDH@northernhealth.ca

Map credit: Northern Lights College Marketing

Want a bird's eye view of the work that's underway on the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital? Check out this awesome drone video of the construction site!

Watch the video here:

Drone video - March 2024 | Videos | DCDH Replacement Project | Let's Talk Northern Health

On Wednesday, March 13, School District 59 hosted a career fair at Dawson Creek Secondary School’s (DCSS) South Peace campus. They welcomed 400-600 students in Grades 10-12 to come through the gymnasium to engage with over 25 local organizations.

Northern Health was invited to share information about volunteer opportunities, career paths, and the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital – which is currently under construction just up the street!

It was exciting to hear that a lot of students are interested in pursuing an education or career in health care. Those who weren’t interested in working in the medical/clinical side of the industry were intrigued to hear that there are also non-clinical and support services positions available to support the delivery of health care services.

In addition to employment opportunities with Northern Health, some of the students that are considering a career in the trades industry were interested to learn about the timeline for the construction of the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital – which will be complete in 2027.

In a couple of months, a group of students from School District 59 will be also be participating in the Adventures in Health Care program in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John. These students will have the opportunity to tour facilities in the North and South Peace and get a sense of what it's like working for Northern Health.

Throughout the event, we asked DCSS students and staff to submit one word to describe how they want the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital to look and feel. Here's what they told us:

Attended on behalf of Northern Health (pictured in 2nd photo from left to right): Machiel Mostert, Engagement Lead, Volunteer Resources; Ashley Pannozzo, Community Engagement Liaison, DCDH Replacment Project; and Byron Stewart, Northeast Recruitment and Retention Ambassador.

On Tuesday, March 12, Saulteau First Nations and Muskoti Learning Centre hosted an education, jobs, and career fair and welcomed local job seekers, band members, and secondary school students from Chetwynd, Tumbler Ridge, and Hudson’s Hope.

Attendees had the opportunity to engage with representatives from over 20 organizations to learn about their services, programs, and current or future employment opportunities.

We were honored to be invited to this event to share information and answer questions about:

• Job opportunities and career paths with Northern Health
• The role that Indigenous Health plays in supporting Indigenous patients
• Fun facts about the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital
• Volunteer opportunities in the South Peace region

Those who took some time to stop by the table and speak with us were also able to take a copy of the Grow Our Own booklet, Health Career Access Program (HCAP) brochure, a volunteer application form, the DCDH employment flyer, and the DCDH fact sheet.

Attended this event on behalf of Northern Health (pictured from left to right): Logan Ritcher, Indigenous Care Coordinator, Chetwynd Hospital and Health Centre; Ashley Pannozzo, Community Engagement Liaison, DCDH Replacement Project; and Byron Stewart, Northeast Recruitment and Retention Ambassador.

A little bit about Logan and her role as the Indigenous Care Coordinator:

Logan was born and raised in Chetwynd and is a Saulteau First Nations member. She recently graduated from Douglas College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and returned to her hometown to begin working. Being passionate about Indigenous health care, she was hired for the Indigenous Care Coordinator (ICC) position at the Chetwynd Hospital and Health Centre in June 2023.

In her role as the ICC, Logan works with Indigenous clients throughout their health care journey to support and educate them on services and supports that are available. She also works with staff members to incorporate traditional health practices into patient care and into the hospital’s spaces. Bridging the gap between western and traditional medicine is an extremely important aspect of her role.

Logan finds her position with Northern Health Indigenous Health to be extremely rewarding because she is continuously learning about health care and the different aspects of patient care. She’s very excited to see what the future holds for roles similar to hers and how the Indigenous Health team will expand and grow.

Last week, Graham Design Builders LP submitted the 95% design and hosted the third round of mock-ups inside the Quonset hut.

Read more about ‘what’s inside the Quonset hut’.

Mock-up #3 consisted of a fully constructed bariatric inpatient bedroom and washroom and isolation room and anteroom. These rooms included sample materials and finishes, millwork locations, key pieces of equipment, IMIT device and power receptacle locations, and furniture. Leadership representatives were able to experience key features of the design, provide feedback and input, and make design decisions.

In addition to the constructed rooms, they reviewed window blinds, the layout of a medication room and the layout of the LDRP washroom and birthing tub.

Mock-up #4 will be a prototype of an inpatient bedroom and washroom and bariatric room which will include all materials, services, millwork, finishes, equipment and furniture. It’ll be constructed in its actual location within the new facility and reviewed at various stages of construction.

Photos from inside the isolation room and anteroom

Photos from inside the bariatric inpatient room and washroom

Photos from inside the medication room

Photos from inside the LDRP washroom with the birthing tub

Photo of the window blinds review

Mock-up #4 will be executed later this year and will be an in-situ prototype of an inpatient bedroom and washroom and bariatric room. Clinical users will be able to review the prototype room including all materials, services, millwork, finishes, equipment and furniture in its actual location within the facility at various stages of construction.

On February 22 and 29, members from the DCDH PMO, Graham, HDR and subcontractor representatives attended an in-person mock-up review of a typical multi-trade rack in Coquitlam to provide feedback and discuss the pre-fabrication design.

A multi-trade rack (MTR) is a steel frame structure that contains elements such as ductwork, water lines, heating pipes, sprinkler lines, valves, VAV boxes, steel studs and drywall, electrical components and anything else that is located in the ceiling of a corridor.

Part of the project strategy is to pre-fabricate large components of the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital using MTRs. There will be approximately 90 in the new facility varying in size between 16’ to 24’ long.

While in production, three MTRs will be built per week. Fabrication is done based on an established sequence of activities so as to facilitate assembly-line like production to maximize completion output.

Once they are fabricated, the MTRs will undergo inspection and testing and then be shrink wrapped and shipped to Dawson Creek starting as early as July.

Once the MTRs arrive on-site, they’ll be lifted up with the tower crane, rolled onto the floor into position, inspected again, hoisted up into the ceiling space, and then bolted to the underside of the suspended slab. Once they are installed, the two-foot gap between each one will be in-filled, inclusive of all the mechanical and electrical services and drywall.

Pre-fabricating the MTRs off-site allows for them to be completed while work is still underway on the concrete superstructure as opposed to waiting until that work is complete. This method is also quicker, more cost effective, improves quality control, and is safer as it prevents workers having to work at heights.

Note: Image is from another project showing the MTR being lifted by the crane

On Thursday, February 15, Tumbler Ridge Secondary School (TRSS) hosted an education and career fair for their students in grades 10-12. Approximately 70 students had the opportunity to rotate through the tables and engage with local and regional organizations to learn about career paths and opportunities, current job openings, and education programs.

On behalf of Northern Health, Ashley Pannozzo (DCDH Community Engagement Liaison), Byron Stewart (NE Recruitment & Retention Ambassador), and Machiel Mostert (Engagement Lead, Volunteer Resources) attended the event to share information about careers and volunteer opportunities with Northern Health as well as information about the new hospital being built just up the highway.

Students were able to take a copy of the NH Grow Our Own booklet, Health Career Access Program brochure, DCDH employment flyer and DCDH quick facts flyer, ask questions and view draft renderings of the new facility.

Several students expressed interest in exploring a career in healthcare and others expressed interest in working in trades with the construction of the new hospital. Overall, everyone was excited to hear about the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital and the benefits it will have on the South Peace region.

If you’ve been to the Dawson Creek & District Hospital (DCDH), you might be familiar with Ken – a registered nurse that has worked in the emergency department and ambulatory care for several years. Many people from the South Peace region know and love Ken and have been recipients of his nursing care. He’s well-respected and a pillar of the DCDH family.

If you know Ken, you’ll also know that he’s a Vancouver Canucks super-fan! He’s very passionate about his beloved Canucks and his community and sometimes wears his Canucks scrubs to work. He’s also very supportive and excited about the DCDH Replacement Project and posts regularly about the exciting progress being made on site.

Ken recently made tribute to two hard-working pieces of equipment that have taken over the Dawson Creek skyline and play a crucial role in the construction of the new hospital – the tower cranes!

Ken has “named those cranes!” based on the fact that they mirror the hard work and dedication of Canucks legends Henrik and Daniel Sedin. Ken identifies the larger crane as Hank (aka Henrik) since he is the “older” twin (only by six minutes!) and the smaller crane is Daniel.

Interested in learning more about the important role that cranes play on construction sites? Check out these photos of Tower Crane 1 (aka Henrik) being installed.

Check out this timelapse video of Tower Crane 2 (aka Daniel) being installed.

Do you have a fun and creative name for the cranes? Comment below!