Key features of the mental health unit include:

• 18 private inpatient rooms with ensuite washrooms
• Two high observation rooms
• Located on Level 3
• Secure courtyard for patients to have access to the outdoors
• Family visiting and consult rooms
• Patient lounge, dining room and kitchen
• Laundry room
• Exercise room
• Group therapy room
• Activity room

Download a copy of the DCDH Mental Health Unit feature poster.

Design is ongoing and subject to change. Renderings are simulated views that are approximate and illustrative.

On Saturday, June 22, Deep Physio hosted their 10^th annual Summer Solstice Run at Walter Wright Pioneer Village. It was a beautiful sunny morning and runners from all over the Peace Country laced up their shoes and gathered to celebrate fitness and giving back to the community.

The Dawson Creek & District Hospital Foundation was the recipient of this year’s event and received a generous donation of $5,500 to put towards local health care!

"This event was a major success, and we would like to extend our deepest thanks to Deep Physio for choosing us as the beneficiaries this year. The Deep team executed a fantastic community event, and did a phenomenal job keeping the whole event running smoothly. We appreciate all the volunteers who put in time to ensure our runners had a safe and successful run. And much gratitude to all the community sponsors who donated – it was a fantastic community event that brought so many people together for a meaningful cause. We appreciate everyone!" - Vicki Rose, Executive Director, DCDH Foundation

Read more about the event on the DCDH Foundation’s website – Celebrating Summer Solstice with a RUN! – DC Hospital Foundation

Interested in making a general donation or becoming a generous monthly donor? You can do so here: General/Monthly Giving

Interested in providing a gift that keeps on giving? Contact Vicki Rose, Executive Director about the Endowement Giving Program.

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.

Key features of the maternity unit include:

• 4 labour, delivery, recovery and post-partum (LDRP) rooms
  • 2 rooms with tubs for water births
  • 1 room is bariatric with a larger floor plan that can support twin births
• 3 ante/postpartum rooms
• Holding nursery with advanced equipment to support infants that need to be transferred to a higher level of care
• Quiet room for families and visitors
• Infant security system
• LDRP model of care allows patients to experience labour, delivery and postpartum stay in the same room

All rooms are private and include:

• Large windows for access to natural light
• Birthing bed and bedside table
• Infant area with a built-in isolette and warmer
• Rocker chair
• Pull out couch
• Small refrigerator
• Accessible and private 3-piece washroom
• Hand hygiene sink
• Interactive patient station/entertainment system
• Wardrobe

Download a copy of the DCDH Maternity Unit feature poster.

Design is ongoing and subject to change. Renderings are simulated views that are approximate and illustrative.

Key features of the emergency department include:

• 15 treatment spaces
• 3 high acuity treatment spaces
• 4 clinical decision spaces
• 2 tandem trauma/resuscitation bays
• Significantly larger and more welcoming space
• Double in size from the current emergency department
• Designated entrance, waiting area, and registration area (separate from main entrance)
• Treatment spaces are separated by walls improving privacy and infection control
• Enclosed, heated double bay ambulance garage
• Staff workstations with clear sight lines to waiting areas and treatment spaces to enhance patient care and safety
• Security office for improved patient and staff safety
• Negative pressure treatment rooms for enhanced infection control
• Crisis interview room
• Quiet bereavement room

Download a copy of the DCDH Emergency Department feature poster.

Design is ongoing and subject to change. Renderings are simulated views that are approximate and illustrative.

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 systemView of the suspended slab formwork on the North side of the buildingView on the East side of the building from Level 1 looking up to Level 2Concrete 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

On Friday, May 24, 2024 from 8am to 5pm, a small section of 12 St. between 112 Ave and 113 Ave will be closed due to construction activities for the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital.

There will be traffic control on-site during the closure. Vehicle traffic will be one way and pedestrians will be re-directed around the closure.

See the map below for the location of the closure.

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

Last week, we had the opportunity to showcase the Dawson Creek & District Hospital, Mills Memorial Hospital and Stuart Lake Hospital Replacement Projects at the annual Northern Health Spring Leadership Forum in Prince George.

This year’s forum brought in over 100 leaders from across the region for two days of education, collaboration, and networking. In addition to the daily sessions, the leaders were also able to experience over 50 demo pods centered around Digital Health, SaferCare, and HealthSpaces.

The new build project booths were featured in the HealthSpaces area and were packed with:

• Exciting information about the projects
• Draft renderings of the new facilities
• Construction progress photos and video walk-throughs
• Sample materials and finishes boards
• Live construction cameras
• Swag and giveaways
• And a 3D printed crane!

Construction on the new Mills Memorial Hospital is almost complete! The new hospital will be open and ready for patients by the end of 2024. Interested in learning more about the project? Visit Let’s Talk MMH.

Construction on the new Stuart Lake Hospital is also well underway! The new hospital will be open and ready for patients in early 2025. Interested in learning more about the project? Visit Let’s Talk SLH.

Pictured rom left to right: Sarah Artis, Project Liaison, Mills Memorial Hospital Replacement; Ashley Pannozzo, Community Engagement Liaison, Dawson Creek & District Hospital Replacement; Christine Midgley, Community Engagement Liaison, Stuart Lake Hospital Replacement; Mark Hendricks, Communications Lead, Capital Projects.

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!

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.