Category Celebrations Show all
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Open House Recap: Thank you for joining us!
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On March 12, 2025, we hosted a community open house for the Dawson Creek & District Hospital (DCDH) Replacement Project, welcoming over 50 enthusiastic community members who were interested in learning about the exciting developments of the new hospital. The event was a fantastic opportunity for attendees to connect with project team representatives, ask questions, and share their thoughts on the future of health care in our region.
The President of Métis Nation BC, Walter Mineault, kicked off the event with inspiring opening remarks. He expressed excitement for the new hospital and emphasized its crucial role in serving our community and attracting health care professionals to the region. His words resonated deeply with everyone present, setting a positive tone for the evening.
Throughout the evening, the room buzzed with meaningful conversations. Attendees engaged with project team representatives, discussing various aspects of the new hospital, and sharing their hopes and expectations. The sense of community and collaboration was noticeable, making the event truly memorable.
We also encouraged attendees to share their thoughts and input about the new hospital with us. Here are the common themes from the engagement boards:
What services/features are most important to you in the new hospital?
The most important services and features highlighted include adequate staffing, which was the most frequently mentioned. Many emphasized the need for enough staff to keep the emergency department open 24 hours a day and to have more doctors available. The importance of a fully functional emergency department was also stressed, along with the need for an ambulance bay capable of handling multiple ambulances at once. Supportive services and programs for mental health and addictions were commonly mentioned, as well as the necessity of having medical imaging to avoid costly private services. Additionally, advocacy for patients who need to travel for care to other communities was another recurring theme.
What is one word to describe how you want the new hospital to look and feel?
Community members want the new hospital to have a modern appearance and a welcoming atmosphere. The need for state-of-the-art facilities was frequently mentioned, along with the importance of having well-marked directions to various departments.
How will the new hospital benefit the community?
The new hospital is expected to provide significant benefits to the community. Many community members highlighted the importance of single-occupancy rooms for improved patient care. The need for more space and beds was frequently mentioned, along with the expectation that the new hospital will help recruit and retain medical staff, indicating its importance to the community.
What are you most excited about with the new hospital?
Community members are most excited about the state-of-the-art medical equipment that the new hospital will have. The prospect of having more doctors who will stay in the community was another common theme. Increased bed capacity and the availability of more medical imaging devices were frequently mentioned. Additionally, there was excitement about not having to travel to Fort St. John for services.
We were also thrilled to have generous door prizes donated by local businesses, including Deep Physio, True North Fitness, South Peace Chiropractic, Dawson Creek Golf & Country Club, City of Dawson Creek, and Dawson Creek Health Food Centre. These contributions added a special touch to the event, and many attendees left with wonderful prizes.In addition, the DCDH Foundation launched a new raffle and the DCDH Auxiliary launched a new fundraising campaign.
The DCDH Foundation’s "Gift of Flight Raffle” offers a chance to win a roundtrip flight for two to any regularly scheduled WestJet destination. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit https://dchospitalfoundation.rafflenexus.com.
The DCDH Auxiliary’s “Sock It Away” campaign is for the purchase of a Tovertafel machine for Rotary Manor. The Tovertafel is a projector that provides a variety of interactive games designed to improve the quality of life for dementia patients. They are fundraising for $19,500 for each machine. As a small group of dedicated volunteers, each and every donation is greatly appreciated. To learn more, visit: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100078961200394
We are incredibly thankful to everyone who took the time to attend and contribute to the success of the Open House. Your support and enthusiasm are invaluable as we move forward with this important project.
Stay tuned for future events, as we hope to host another open house next year! We look forward to continuing this journey together and making a positive impact on health care in our community.
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Celebrating one-year of construction and our amazing staff!
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What a difference a year makes! In July 2023, we celebrated the start of construction on the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital. Fast forward a year, we’re now celebrating all of exciting (and quick) progress being made on the new facility.
In collaboration with local leadership, the DCDH Project Management Office hosted a lunch celebration for Hospital, Health Unit and Rotary Manor staff. Everyone was invited to come down and have a bite to eat, mix and mingle with the friends and colleagues, and see the new hospital coming together right across the street.
The Meat Doctor put together an excellent meal with pulled pork, chicken and beef brisket on a bun with coleslaw. Our friends at Dawson Creek Co-op donated cold drinks and cookies for dessert! We are so grateful for our community partners for getting involved in this event and taking some time to appreciate the hardwork and dedication of our healthcare workers.
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Celebration for staff
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The Project Management Office hosted a celebration for DCDH and Health Unit staff to celebrate the start of construction on the new hospital. Everyone was invited down to meet the project team, view draft renderings of the new hospital, and enjoy cupcakes from Co-op Bakery and charcuterie boards from beans&barley.
We appreciate all of our staff for the hard work they do on a daily basis and for sharing their thoughts on the project during user consultation meetings. It's important that their voices are heard as we design and construct the new facility that they will eventually work in and provide healthcare services to patients and the community.
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Shovels in the ground!
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It's official! Ground has been broken on the site of the new hospital. A small group gathered yesterday to dig the ceremonial hole and celebrate the start of construction, although they had a bit of help from the excavator.
Pictured from left to right: Bart DeVries (DCDH PMO), Kate Kustak (DCDH Foundation), Deb Taylor (DCDH PMO), Brette Madden (DCDH Foundation), John Kurjata (Northern Health Board of Directors), Maciej Paszkowski (Graham), Mayor Darcy Dober (City of Dawson Creek), Richard Bygrave (DCDH PMO), Director Leonard Hiebert (PRRHD), Nathan Salomon (DCDH PMO), Kendra Kiss (Northern Health), Dave Corcoran (Graham), Fern Hansen (DCDH Auxiliary), Margaret McGillis (Northern Health), Jennifer Dunn (DCDH PMO), Ramona Daly (DCDH PMO), and Ashley Pannozzo (DCDH PMO). 
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Get your hands dirty at the new Dawson Creek Community Garden
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We are excited to share that we have relocated the Dawson Creek Community Garden and it is now open to the public!
The community garden was relocated from the Northwest corner of Northern Lights College's property in order to make space for the new Dawson Creek and District Hospital. The relocation project was done in collaboration with the Dawson Creek Community Garden Society, Northern Lights College, Stantec Inc., and Northern Legendary Construction Ltd. Construction began in June 2021 and was completed in September 2021. We maintained and transferred architectural features from the old garden including the entryway gate and the metal memorial bench.
The Dawson Creek Community Garden Society hosted their grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, June 18. Although it rained most of the morning, that didn’t damper the mood of those in attendance. The event started with speeches from Fern Hansen (President, Community Garden Society), Ashley Pannozzo (Community Engagement Liaison, DCDH Replacement Project), Katie MacLeod (Project Manager, Clark Builders), and Shaely Wilbur (Council Member, City of Dawson Creek). Following the speeches, attendees enjoyed cupcakes and a walk through the garden.
“This year, I’m looking forward to the community garden continuing to be well received and respected and for society members to continue to garden because we’re off to a fabulous start,” said Fern Hansen, President of the Dawson Creek Community Garden Society. “With the relocation, we’re so happy to have the new fence for protection, and the raised garden beds for easier access to gardening. They’re much more practical in terms of use, they look beautiful, and they’re easier to work with because you’re not crawling on the ground.”
Now that the community garden is officially open, citizens of Dawson Creek can get their hands dirty this planting season and grow locally, all while enjoying the company of fellow gardeners on the new site.
