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Project status update
Northern Health first began working on the G.R. Baker ED/ICU expansion project in 2017 when we were asked to prepare and submit a project business plan – this led to the April 2019 $27 million project announcement for an emergency department and intensive care unit addition.
The new ED/ICU will contain flexible use treatment rooms, will have increased ICU capacity, improved privacy and confidentiality for patients and will be designed to improve patient flow by allowing patents to quickly be brought into the Emergency Department. This will lead to a better overall experience for patients that visit G.R. Baker Hospital.
Since February 2020, True Construction Ltd. has been busy on the site and are currently just over 50% complete on the construction. Work on the site is ongoing and contractors are currently doing interior work. We are also working with the Provincial Health Services Authority on acquiring clinical furniture and equipment for the expansion.
For those who haven’t had a chance to see the construction site, this diagram should give you an idea of where it will be.
Curious about what it currently looks like inside the expansion? Here are a couple of images to give you an idea of what’s going on inside.
This photo is inside the future Emergency Department – it shows the wall partitions and the electrical/mechanical rough-in in progress.
This photo shows the doors that connect to a corridor leading to clinical services within the existing hospital.
Project schedule
Like all project schedules, timelines can be impacted by any number of factors, so are subject to change.
Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, labour shortages and supply-chain issues, we are still looking at substantial project completion this summer with the new ED/ICU being ready to use in fall of 2022.
G.R. Baker ED/ICU construction camera
Interested in what goes into a major hospital expansion? We’ve installed a construction camera that you can access to see what’s going on at the site and watch it all come together. Although most of the work is currently being done inside, the camera feed also gives you access to historical images, time-lapses, and comparative views going back to the start of construction.
GR Baker Construction Camera
Next steps and upcoming milestones
Expansion naming opportunity
With a new construction comes new opportunities and one of those opportunities is a chance to contribute to the name of the new building addition. We are hosting a working group with members from both Quesnel and local First Nation communities that will generate naming recommendations for the new addition that will go to a Northern Health Naming Committee for consideration and final decision.
For more information on the naming opportunity, please contact Daryl Petsul, Health Services Administrator at Daryl.Petsul@northernhealth.ca.
For more information
G.R. Baker ED/ICU Expansion Let’s Talk
Let’s Talk is our one-stop shop for everything related to the GR Baker ED/ICU expansion project. Not only does this site have regular project updates, but it is also a place where you can provide feedback and thoughts on the project.
GR Baker Let’s Talk
Contact us directly
For questions, feedback or to get added to the distribution list for these updates, reach out directly to us through Mark Hendricks, our Communications Lead, Capital Projects, at mark.hendricks@northernhealth.ca
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Improving a hospital for a community means more than just investing in health-care, it also means economic opportunities for the region.
The GR Baker Memorial Hospital expansion is a $27 million project, and wherever possible, that money stays local. Here are just some of the local businesses that have participated in this project:
- Eagle Building Supplies
- Rona Quesnel
- United Concrete and Gravel
- Brodex
- Fraser River GM
- Convoy Supply
In addition, we are using local trucking, and many subcontractors on the project are purchasing the bulk of the materials they need through Prince George. We’re also employing local labour with residents from Quesnel and Williams Lake working full time on the project.
Local hospitality businesses are also benefitting. Crews that need to come in from out of town are renting hotel rooms or crew houses for weeks or months at a time!
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Construction at GR Baker is proceeding as planned. The foundations are being poured, and the oxygen set-up for the project has been relocated.
Delivery of steel to the site is expected in mid-June and construction will move quickly once it has arrived. A publicly accessible camera is also being added to the site, where viewers will be able to see real time progress from the site. This feed and project updates will be available on Let’s Talk Northern Health.
The contractor will also need to temporarily extend the north construction fence. This could have impacts on the river trail. More communications will come out around this as more specifics about the timing and impact are determined
Completion of the project is scheduled for June/July of 2022 with the facility expected to open in the fall of 2022. Extreme weather conditions caused the site to shut down on several occasions over the winter; however, this has not impacted the schedule.
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Construction activities are underway at G.R. Baker memorial Hospital for the expansion of the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit. Activities began on October 13th, 2020. Bulk excavation of the site grounds is in progress.
In March 2020, human remains were uncovered on the construction site of the G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital ED and ICU expansion. These remains and the site were subject to appropriate guidelines provided for archaeology sites, as well as local First Nation guidance. The remains have been subject to osteological review and these remains have been determined to be quite old, and considered archeological (not current). Osteological review is a process which helps identify some characteristics of the remains, such as gender and some aspects of origin. The remains found have been determined to be female and most likely Indigenous.
Northern Health respects the significance of this land, and the remains, to local First Nation peoples and communities. The benefit of ongoing engagement and partnership with local First Nations has facilitated dialogue and plans for addressing the discovery of the remains, as well as a process led by the local First Nation for ensuring the respectful return of these remains to their appropriate resting place. As per First Nations community directive – the remains have been reburied on-site with full observation of local oversight, protocols, and involvement of appropriate individuals. This was conducted in a private ceremony by request of and led by local First Nations leadership in an appropriate spot near the construction site.
There was some urgency to perform this ceremony prior to ground freeze, and it was held, with observance of COVID-19 guidelines, on November 30th. Out of respect, construction paused on the morning of November 30th as the ceremony took place.
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We are nearing completion of the Early-Works phase of construction for the G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital expansion project.
Once construction begins for the main build, Phase II (anticipated this summer), parking will face significant impact to availability as the entire North parking lot (between ER and Fraserview Medical Clinic) will be closed to staff and public parking.
Working with the City of Quesnel, we have secured additional parking at Weldwood Park (approximately 20 stalls), in addition to Callanan St. in front of Quesnel Junior Secondary School (approximately 50 stalls). An additional 10 (approximately) stalls will also be created on the grass in the South parking lot.
Once the build commences, the entrance to ER will be via the current main entrance doors, and parking in that front area will be reserved for RCMP, ambulance, ER physician and on-call staff for G.R. Baker Hospital.
Please note that there is no parking along Walkem Street (residents only) and parking in private businesses and in the city’s 2-hour spots is also prohibited for day-use.
As Phase I of the project winds down, the Riverfront Trail - Downtown loop is temporarily fully open. When Phase II of the project begins, the Riverfront Trail detour will be back in effect. The City will post more information about the trail detour at that time.
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NOTICE OF CONSTRUCTION:
Early Works will be starting very shortly in preparation for the construction of the GR Baker Emergency Department (ED) redevelopment and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) relocation. The tender for the Early Works phase of the project closed on December 6th, and the successful bidder is Ram Excavating Limited of Quesnel BC.
Early Works construction comprises the first of two phases for the expansion of GR Baker Memorial Hospital. This first phase of the project will begin on Wednesday, February 12, 2020. Expect construction traffic to be using Walkem Street and Bowron Ave for access to the construction area. There will be noise typical to construction sites such as back-up alarms and compaction equipment. Access to your driveway and personal property will not be shut-off during this phase but traffic in our neighborhood will increase and we ask you to be extra cautious while coming into and leaving the neighborhood. There will be no construction activity before 7 am or after 10 pm on a week day and before 9 am or after 8 pm on any weekend or statutory holiday, as per City of Quesnel bylaw regulations.
The Early Works phase will specifically entail the relocation of a sanitary sewer line servicing Walkem Street and other buildings. Sewer services should not be interrupted but work will be taking place on the sanitary sewer main servicing all properties on Walkem Street and upstream. No excavation on Walkem Street is expected.
During construction, access will also be blocked off or limited at times to the Riverfront Trail west of and on the north side of the hospital. Alternatively, pedestrian traffic can use the side walk on Front Street to get around the construction area.
Due to the cultural history of the community and site, an Archaeological Impact Assessment is a Provincial requirement. The Early Works phase will permit archaeological review as existing underground services are relocated to make way for the main project when it is ready to proceed.
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The G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital project replacing the emergency department and redeveloping the Intensive Care unit is now in the pre-construction phase. The Archaeological Impact Assessment (AIA) (see August update) is in progress; when the AIA is complete, followed by an Early Works project, construction of the main building addition will begin.
The Early Works project scheduled to commence this winter will involve relocation of underground sanitary and storm sewer services to make room for the main building addition. Once the Early Works project and archaeological review are complete, the remainder of the construction project can be tendered. Once awarded, remaining contractor bulk excavation will continue to be monitored by the archaeologist and First Nations representatives.
Interested contractors/constructors should pay close attention to listings on BC Bid (https://www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca) over the coming months as tenders for the Early Works project will appear. This website will also be updated as those bids are scheduled.
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Human remains were discovered on the site of future construction of the G.R. Baker memorial Hospital ED and ICU expansion. The Coroner has determined the remains to be archaeological – we do not currently know how old they may actually be.
Northern Health, its archaeologist, representatives from the Ministry of Citizen Services and local First Nations are continuing dialogue to determine next steps in the respectful examination of the remains during the period of excavation for building foundations. Northern Health is aware of the significance of this land to local First Nations and is working with representatives.
A permit was issued by Heritage Branch for a licensed archaeologist to prepare and submit an Archaeological Impact Assessment (AIA). Preparation of the AIA is currently on hold pending instruction from Heritage Branch regarding continued archaeological requirements and processes of examination.
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Site Access: During the period of construction Northern Health and its Contractors will honour City bylaws and Northern Health requirements respecting hours of work and construction noise. Site logistics have not yet been confirmed with the City of Quesnel, Ministry of Health Services, and Northern Health Capital Services, but those discussion are in progress.
Northern Health has been in discussion with the City of Quesnel and the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure to determine acceptable site construction access points in an effort to minimize hospital and neighbourhood disruption that may be caused by construction vehicles and equipment.
Access points to the hospital site will remain as they are now.
Parking: Parking is and will remain free at GRBH. Parking for Staff, Physicians and visitors will be located on the East and West sides of the hospital expansion project.
There will be limited parking onsite during the construction phase of the project; however, on completion, the site plans call for approximately 80 new stalls – this will result in approximately 15 more spaces than what is currently in place.
