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Farewell to Hank and Dan: Dawson Creek's Towering Heroes
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As the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital rises to meet the skyline, we say farewell to the two towering figures who have become local celebrities – Hank and Dan, the mighty tower cranes. These mechanical marvels have not only played a crucial role in the construction of our new hospital but have also captured the hearts and imaginations of our community.
Installed to help build the new hospital, Hank and Dan quickly became more than just construction equipment. They were symbols of the quick and exciting progress being made and were visible from almost every corner of Dawson Creek. Their presence sparked excitement and curiosity, turning a construction site into a community landmark.
The cranes' journey began when Ken Scott, a local nurse, named them Hank and Dan, after Vancouver Canucks legends, Henrik and Daniel Sedin. This transformed the cranes from cold, impersonal machinery into characters in the story of our new hospital. They became a topic of daily discussions with photos being posted of them on social media, children pointing them out and calling them the “Christmas Cranes”, and adults appreciating their engineering expertise.
On November 14, we said goodbye to Hank (tower crane #1) as he was carefully dismantled and removed from the site. Yesterday, December 4, we also said goodbye to Dan (tower crane #2). Their departure marks the end of an era but also reminds us of the power of progress as we look forward to the opening of the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital in Spring 2027.
So, here's to Hank and Dan – our towering heroes. Thank you for lifting our spirits and helping build a brighter future for health care in Dawson Creek.
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Site Tour with Mayor and Council / August Progress Photos
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Last week, we had the pleasure of hosting the City of Dawson Creek’s Mayor, Council, Fire Chief, and Deputy Fire Chief for a tour of the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital. The visit was filled with excitement as everyone saw first-hand the remarkable progress made on the new facility.
They began with a walk around the site to see the transformation made from a bare construction zone just over a year ago, to a developing building now. Throughout the tour, they were able to visualize the department layouts and future patient rooms that will soon serve the community. The Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief were particularly interested in the safety features being incorporated into the design, ensuring the hospital will be a secure environment for both patients and staff.
Everyone was thrilled to see how far the project has come in just over a year and expressed their excitement for what's to come for the future of health care in Dawson Creek.
Check out the photos below to see the work that is underway on exterior and interior framing throughout the building and the installation of structural steel on Level 3.
From left to right: Amy Kaempf, Councillor; Kye MacDonald, Councillor; Todd Pickett, Deputy Fire Chief; Marcel Capelle, Fire Chief; Jerimy Earl, Councillor; Devon Aaroe, Manager of Development Services; Mike Sudnik, Councillor; Darcy Dober, Mayor; Dave Corcoran, VP of Health Care, Graham; Ashley Pannozzo, Community Engagement Liaison, Northern Health.
Framing for the four clinical decision units in the Emergency Department
Framing for the ambulance entrance into the Emergency Department
Structural steel on Level 3
View of the covered and secure courtyard in the mental health unit
Framing of one of the four LDRP (maternity) patient bedrooms and an equipment storage room
View of where the inpatient rooms will be on the north side of the building on Level 2. All located on the perimeter of the building with large windows for access to natural light
Alternate view of where the inpatient rooms will be on the north side of the building on Level 2. All located on the perimeter of the building with large windows for access to natural light
View of where the pre-operative/day surgery/recovery stretchers will be in the surgery unit
Framing for one of two operating rooms -
July Progress Photos
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Check out this month's progress on the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital!
Workers have started removing some of the shoring and re-shoring from Level 1 and Level 2. Framing has started on the interior and exterior of the building. Concrete is continuing to be poured for vertical construction. The multi-trade racks have started arriving on-site and being installed.
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June Progress Photos
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The new Dawson Creek & District Hospital is really starting to take shape!
Concrete pours for the suspended slabs will be complete by the end of July and over 7,510m3 of concrete will have been poured for all three levels. Over the coming weeks and months, workers will begin removing the shoring which is the vertical tower support system that carries the weight of the formwork, reinforcing bar, concrete and live loads. Work is also underway for waterproofing and backfilling the perimeter of the building.
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May Progress Pictures
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As the days go on, more and more progress is being made on the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital! Check out the photos below from a site walkthrough in mid-May.
Concrete pours for Level 1 are now complete, Level 2 is almost complete and Level 3 is recently underway. Once all the concrete pours are complete, over ~7510m of concrete will have been poured for the concrete superstructure.
Members of the Project Management Team
View of the West side of the building where the covered and secure staff entrance will be
View standing at tower crane #2 on Level 1 looking up to Level 2
View looking from the West to the East of the suspended slab formwork tower system
View of the suspended slab formwork on the North side of the building
View on the East side of the building from Level 1 looking up to Level 2
Concrete pouring on Level 2 
Prepping for concrete pours on Level 2
View from Level 2 looking at prep work for start of concrete pours the Level 3 suspended slab
Fun fact: Heidelberg Materials, Dawson Creek is supplying all of the concrete for the suspended slabs -
Northern Lights dancing above the tower cranes
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Were you able to catch a glimpse of the amazing aurora borealis show on Friday night? Check out this awesome photo of the Northern Lights dancing above the DCDH tower cranes!
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Drone video of site of new hospital
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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
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Level 1 suspended slab pours
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We’re excited to share that concrete pours for the Level 1 (L1) suspended slab are underway! The first pour was done on January 25 and the remaining pours will continue until mid-April. Once all 10 pours for L1 are complete, ~2510m3 of concrete will have been poured.
Fun fact: Heidelberg Materials, Dawson Creek is supplying all of the concrete for the suspended slabs and CanaSteel Rebar Services, Dawson Creek is supplying and installing all the reinforcing steel.
Suspended slabs are upper floor concrete slabs that are not in direct contact with the ground. The slab is supported on the exterior of the building by foundation walls and on the interior by concrete columns.
In anticipation for the suspended slab pours, Graham had to complete the foundations that serve as the supporting structure of the slab. This installation involves:
- Mudsill installation – Lumber used to support shoring. Mudsills distribute the shore load across an area big enough to not exceed the allowable soil bearing pressures.
- Shore Installation – Vertical support designed to carry the weight of the formwork, reinforcing bar, concrete and live loads. All engineered to known and assumed loads. For DCDH, we are using an engineered tower system.
- Beam Installation – Aluminum beams for horizontal formwork that are supported by the shores.
- Joist Installation – Horizontal formwork installed perpendicular to and supported by the beams. The form facing material (plywood) is placed directly on the joists.
- Formwork installation – The sheathing or plywood as mentioned above is what the concrete will be placed against.
For the most part, the shoring is built in place. The beam, joist and formwork are pre-assembled as much as possible and flown in place using one of the two tower cranes on site. Infills are then completed after the prefabricated pieces are installed.
The L1 suspended slab formwork is a tower system, so after the slab section has been poured, the beam, joists, and formwork will be removed and used on future pours. The shores will be lifted and individual reshore posts will be placed for the duration of all of the suspended slab pours for all levels.
As usual, there is a lot of preparation work that goes into the suspended slab pours beforehand. In addition to engineering and picking an appropriate system, extensive planning for heating and hoarding is required to ensure the concrete cures properly. For suspended slabs, heating comes from the bottom which allows the concrete to be placed and finished and then the top of the slab is covered with tarps to keep the concrete at the right temperature and prevent moisture evaporation.
The size of the pours are also pre-planned to accommodate:
- Concrete supply capabilities – Slab sizes are based on the amount of concrete that can be received in a 6-to-8-hour window
- Reinforcing steel laps and layout – Splices in rebar can impact structural integrity and increase loads outside of design parameters
- Engineered control and expansion joints – Allow for shrinkage or movement
- Crew availability and floor requirements – Levelness, flatness and finishes all have different levels of support and manpower required
- Ambient air temperature, heating and hoarding
The Level 2 and Level 3 suspended slabs consist of 18 pours (9 per level) totalling over 5000m3 (2500m3 per level) of concrete. Level 2 is anticipated to occur from March to May and Level 3 is anticipated from April to July.
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Tower crane #2 installed
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There's been a new addition to the Dawson Creek skyline with the installation of the second tower crane.
Check out this timelapse video of the installation process.
Read more about the first tower crane and the important role that cranes play on construction sites.
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Display at Northern Lights College's Open House
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On Saturday, November 4, Northern Lights College hosted an Open House at their Dawson Creek campus for community members to tour the campus and learn about programs.
Ashley Pannozzo, our Community Engagement Liaison was invited to represent Northern Health and set up a display in the Health Sciences Building. Attendees learned about the DCDH Project, employment opportunities with the current and future hospital, health care career opportunities with Northern Health, pathways into healthcare, and the Grow Our Own program.
The display included the project's fact sheet, employment flyer, draft renderings, sample materials and finishes palettes, and mini shovels!
Did you know? NLC offers a variety of health and human services programs that could help kickstart your journey in health care.
Interested in starting your journey with Northern Health at the newest hospital in the Northeast? There are a number of employment opportunities that need to be filled at the current and future Dawson Creek & District Hospital. Northern Health is also hiring for other positions in the community and across the region. To see all current job postings and apply online, visit http://jobs.northernhealth.ca/.
