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!

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.

Project status update

Where we’re at

Since our last update, work has been progressing well on the site of the new hospital – partially thanks to the mild weather we had heading into the holiday season!

During October, detailed excavation was completed and over 2,200m³ (about the volume of an Olympic-size swimming pool) of concrete was poured.

During November, construction activities transitioned to vertical components such as elevator cores, columns, and foundation walls. The second tower crane was also installed – check out this timelapse video of the process.

During December, work began on foundation walls, interior columns, gas and electrical set up for site heating, and backfill of deep foundations.

In addition, Graham prepared for the winter months by implementing their frost protection, ground heating and new temperature monitoring systems.

What’s next

Over the coming months, construction activities will continue to focus on the concrete superstructure and work has just begun on the level 1 structural suspended slab.

In March, we will receive and review the formal 95% design submission and host the third round of mock-ups in the Quonset hut.

Engagement initiatives

Display at NLC’s Open House

On Saturday, November 4, Northern Lights College hosted an Open House for community members to tour the campus and learn about their programs.

Attendees were able to learn about the project as well as current and upcoming employment opportunities at DCDH and across the Northern Health region.

Other exciting news

Employment opportunities

Start your journey with Northern Health at the newest hospital in the Northeast! There are a number of positions that need to be filled at the current and future hospital ranging from clinical, support services, administration, and more!

Download a copy of the DCDH Employment Flyer to share with your extended network. View current job opportunities with Northern Health.

Construction camera

Curious to see what progress is being made on the construction of the new hospital? Check out the DCDH Construction Camera.

Any day, any time you can see a live snapshot, zoom in and out and side to side, compare photos from different days, go back in time for archived snapshots, and view monthly timelapses.

Interested in learning more?

Visit Let’s Talk DCDH

The Dawson Creek & District Hospital Replacement Project’s Let’s Talk site is our one-stop shop for everything related to the project. On the site, you can find:

• Key details and important information
• Regular project updates
• Draft renderings
• Photos of construction progress
• Engagement highlights
• Downloadable resources

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

• Over 300 jobs anticipated; locals already involved in the project
• More concrete pours and winter weather preparation
• Employment opportunities with Northern Health at the DCDH
• Display at Northern Lights College's Open House
• Timelapse: Construction camera (October)
• What's going to happen to the current DCDH?
• List of local and regional businesses - As of November 21, 2023 (PDF)
• Tower crane #2 installed
• Monthly labour report - As of November 30 2023 (PDF)
• Timelapse: Construction camera (November)
• Infographic: Comparison between current vs. new DCDH
• Photo: View from tower crane 1
• Monthly labour report - As of December 31 2023 (PDF)
• Timelapse: Construction camera (December)
• Photo: View from tower crane 2
• Ground heating and new temperature monitoring system
• DCDH ranked #92 on 2024 Top100 Projects

By registering for Let’s Talk DCDH, you can share your thoughts on the project by commenting on recent stories or you can ask questions directly to the project team through the Q&A tool.

Contact us directly

Reach out to Ashley Pannozzo, our Community Engagement Liaison Officer, for the Dawson Creek and District Hospital Replacement Project at LetsTalkDCDH@northernhealth.ca.

Photo from: January 14, 2024 | Temperature: L -43° H -36°

With an investment value of approximately $590 million, the DCDH project is ranked #92 on the list of the top 100 biggest infrastructure projects in the country.

The 2024 Top100 Canada's Biggest Infrastructure Projects Report is an annual report published by ReNew Canada, an infrastructure magazine that ranks and profiles the country’s largest public infrastructure projects.

Upon completion, the new hospital will be more than 25% bigger than the current facility – strengthening existing services and supporting increased access to care for all Northeast residents.

Graham Design Builders prepared for the winter months by implementing their frost protection plan to maintain temperature levels of the foundation subgrade, thereby allowing concrete work to continue through the winter and protecting the ground from frost. This included procuring and installing ground thaw machines and natural gas lines.

Graham has sourced a new-to-market temperature monitoring system to complement the ground thaw machines. The new system provides real-time temperatures of the subgrade to their cellular devices and allows them to turn down or shut off the heaters when they’re not needed. It also ensures compliance, reduces costs, and helps the environment.

Graham has taken a different approach to ground heating with the use of natural gas instead of diesel. Natural gas is more reliable, cleaner to run, eliminates greenhouse gas emissions from regular fuel deliveries, and reduces the amount of greenhouse gas producing fuel being used. Diesel units can have limitations, be prone to mechanical issues in colder weather, and typically run for shorter periods of time to remove frost as opposed to preventing it.

Typically, a ground thaw machine is supplied and installed as a single all-in-one unit. Graham acquired a system that was installed as individual units that work in unison to run cleaner and limit potential re-work or replacement. Individual units also keep a consistent heat to the multiple lines to prevent frost and reduce the volume of glycol that would typically be lost in the event of a line failure.

How does the ground thaw system work?

• There are five individual glycol boilers, and each boiler is 1.8 million BTU.
• The boiler heats the glycol and supplies a fluid exchanger pump with a 2-inch supply and 2-inch return line – which is the main heating element of the system.
• The hot glycol runs through the plate exchanger and back to the heating unit.
• The use of the fluid exchanger pump keeps the fluid from the heating unit separate from the fluid in the field.
• From the fluid exchanger pump, 2-inch supply and return hoses are connected to 2-10 port manifolds.
• From the manifolds, soft ¾-inch glycol lines are connected and run for a maximum length of 1,000 feet.
• This creates a full system where the glycol is pumped from the heating unit to the fluid exchanger pump, which then heats the glycol that’s circulating through the ¾ hose and manifolds therefore resulting in warm, frost-free ground.

How does the new temperature monitoring system work?

• The temperature sensors are placed strategically throughout the site and at various depths.
  • The depths are chosen based on the depth of the footings – some are placed at the bottom, some in the middle, and some shallow.
• A cellular enabled control node collects data at a set frequency (ex: 15 minutes) and then the information is sent to the Cloud where Graham can access the data.
• From the control node, there is an expansion box that can be hooked up to six temperature sensors.
• The system also notifies Graham automatically if/when temperatures drop below a certain set threshold.

The holidays are just around the corner and everyone deserves a little break!

Our project team members are taking some much needed time off after a busy year of major milestones. They'll be spending time with their families, celebrating the holidays, and re-charging for the new year - and we hope you get to do the same! Work on site will also slow down between December 22 and January 2.

We wish you and your loved ones a happy and healthy holiday season and new year!

Stay tuned for more updates on the DCDH Project in 2024!

The Project Management Office decorated their construction Christmas tree to get involved in the holiday celebrations at the hospital.

Interested in learning more about what the current Dawson Creek & District Hospital has in comparison to what the new hospital will have? Check out this infographic that compares the facility sizes, treatment spaces, programming and services, inpatient beds, and parking spaces!

Download a copy of the infographic to share with your family, friends, and extended network.

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.

Many residents have been wondering what will happen to the current Dawson Creek & District Hospital (DCDH) once the new hospital opens.

Health care services will continue to be delivered at the current hospital while construction is underway on the new hospital – which is expected to be open, operational and ready for patients in 2027.

Now, why are we building a new hospital instead of redeveloping the current one?

The current DCDH was built in 1960 in accordance with clinical health care services and building code standards at the time. Since then, standards have continuously evolved and improved.

Recognizing these changes, the current hospital doesn’t align with current clinical and patient care standards and doesn’t comply with the current BC Building Code. These factors have an impact on patient and family experiences and the delivery of quality and efficient care.

There’s also more than what meets the eye when it comes to older buildings like the current DCDH. The infrastructure may appear to be in good standing, but it’s what you can’t see that contributes significantly to the need to replace the facility. The current facility has a poor Facility Condition Index, and its age causes deficiencies such as capacity constraints and functional issues.

The new hospital is going to be a brand-new state-of-the-art facility that is built in compliance with national clinical and patient care standards as well as current design and construction codes.

Northern Health will continue to upgrade equipment and assets in the current hospital to ensure that we’re providing quality health care. A significant amount of the newer equipment and assets that are in good working order will be moved into the new facility during the transition process.

We also acknowledge the tremendous community support over the past years through the Dawson Creek Hospital Foundation to support the purchasing of equipment required to provide health care services within the community.

Once the new hospital is open and operational, the current hospital will become inactive, be emptied out and then removed. The site will be cleared and turned back into developable land for future use.

We recognize that the DCDH has played a significant role in the lives of many residents over the past 60+ years. There are ample memories and stories to be shared about the current hospital and there will opportunities for you to share those with us in the future. Stay tuned for more information!