More than a decade in the making, ground is broken for County’s new hospital

The ceremonial ground-breaking for the County’s new hospital was held Thursday, Aug. 1.

Story and photos by Sue Capon
Ceremonial sod has been turned to launch the building of Prince Edward County’s new hospital.

The ground-breaking ceremony, held Thursday afternoon behind the current hospital in Picton, was attended by about 100 guests including Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones, representing local dignitaries, Quinte Health staff, and supporters of the Back the Build campaign. A larger community gathering is to be held in the fall.

M. Sullivan & Son is to begin construction in September and it is hoped the hospital will open in December 2027.

The ground-breaking has been more than a decade in the making.

Stacey Daub, President and CEO Quinte Health

“It’s the culmination of hard work, passion, generosity, and good old-fashioned tenacity that has brought us to this exciting milestone,” said Stacey Daub, President and CEO Quinte Health. “After more than a decade, we are moving forward with the build-phase of the new hospital, and I am filled with gratitude.”

Emcee for the afternoon, Daub stated the ground breaking marks not just the start of the construction project, but we are are here to say thanks to the celebrators, to the risk takers who dared to dream big, to the fierce advocates who never waivered and the people and teams who navigated and overcame every curveball and to the leaders in the organizations, both local and provincial, who have worked to make today happen.”

Peggy Payne, chairperson of the hospital foundation board, spoke to a passionate community behind supporting the hospital in big, and small ways – from lemonade stands and the annual baking contest and auction at the community fair, to major donations – which were all among broad community support funneled through the hospital’s small but mighty foundation.

Peggy Payne, chairperson of the hospital foundation board

“It’s been a long and winding road that leads to this ceremony – four mayors, two CEOs of Quinte Health, countless ministers of health, advocates and committees through the years and this community has supported the project with energy, goodwill and generosity. And the foundation works alongside the community with ingenuity and integrity and steward all the contributions.”

Also a long-time executive member of the hospital auxiliary, Payne noted its members were the first to come up with a pledge of a million dollars to help convince the ministry the project had support to go forward.

It did so at the 2014 launch in the Picton Town Hall, after then Mayor Peter Mertens encouraged all residents to support the new build wholeheartedly as the current hospital lacked capacity to be upgraded and could not meet standards such as infection control.

“The County has demonstrated on many different occasions, that when something important for all of our residents is needed, they come to the table every single time,” said Mertens.

Former Mayor Leo Finnegan was also in attendance in 2014 as president of the hospital foundation, and told the packed house the endeavour of bringing a new hospital to this County requires pulling together and “we’ve got to pull in the same direction, and that direction is forward.”

Today, just over 10 years later, Finnegan was pleased to attend the ground breaking.

“It’s a day that I’ve looked forward to for a long time,” said Finnegan, now 90. “It’s a day that was a long time coming… The good news is, it’s happening…I wondered if I would be around to see it, he added, recalling people along the way would tell him he should retire. “I said I’m not retiring until we break ground.”

Finnegan did retire from the foundation’s board of directors late last month. “Close enough,” he said.

Bay of Quinte MPP Todd Smith and Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones, speak with former Mayor and hospital board member Leo Finnegan, at Thursday’s ground-breaking.

Also a long-time advocate, Bay of Quinte MPP Todd Smith was thrilled to see success.

“Today, after years of advocacy and planning, we put our shovels in the ground together to build a state-of-the-art hospital for Prince Edward County,” said Smith. “I’m grateful to Quinte Health for its leadership and the many Back the Build partners who rose to the challenge in support of this project.

Smith read an excerpt from Alan R. Capon’s book ‘This House of Healing, PECMH’ which speaks to the build of the County’s current hospital and the first one on Hill Street in Picton: “‘One common denominator linking the two hospitals is the never-ending community involvement. Support for the hospital has been shown in many ways, showing that hospitals are far more than just bricks and mortar.’

“It’s a day to celebrate the construction of our hospital, at least the start of it,” said Smith. “And it’s going to be a living monument to the health of this community and its fierce spirit of caring. I’m so proud to have been able to champion this project, at Queen’s Park,” he noted, beginning when he was a new MPP.

POOCH rally at Queen’s Park in 2013. – Sue Capon file photo

Smith recalled the busload of about 200 County residents who road to Queen’s Park in 2013 to fight for the future of the County’s hospital. As spokesman, Finnegan handed over a petition signed by 5,520 residents for Smith to present in the legislature.

“The POOCH (Patrons of our County Hospital) folks and a lot of people were really worried about the future of the hospital in Prince Edward County and the local healthcare services,” I recall seeing my quotes were that I really hope that their efforts, the huge efforts, don’t fall on deaf ears. And I can honestly say that they didn’t,” said Smith.

Former County mayor Robert Quaiff recalled there were many trips up Highway 401 to speak with provincial government ministers.

Attending Thursday’s ceremony with wife Susan Quaiff, president of the hospital auxiliary, he was reminded to thank Quinte West Mayor Jim Harrison again, who he recalled helped him get a word in edgewise.

“I called Jim the other day to thank him again, and let him know we were having the ground breaking today. I’ll never forget that initial meeting in Toronto. We (the County mayor and representatives) didn’t have a delegation with Eric Hoskins, then the Minister of Health, but Quinte West did and Harrison invited us in. They had 15 minutes with Hoskins and Jim took up maybe seven minutes and said ‘Robert, why don’t you have the floor?’ I was gobsmacked. Jim was the one who said ‘we’re all QHC now’. And after that Mr. Hoskins visited here three times – the first to get things moving…. He was so impressed by the way the County set up its health hub locations – the Wellings was underway beside H.J. McFarland; both near the new fire and rescue department and hopes for the hospital right behind the hospital. He told us he was impressed with the health system in place and planned.

Monica Alyea, hospital foundation board member, has also been along for the ride for more than a decade. She was the foundation board president in February 2018 when Hoskins visited the County’s hospital to announce a $500,000 grant to help with early planning stages for a new hospital. It was stage one. It was not approved, “but this hospital will be built,” Hoskins told the crowd.

In 2018, PECMH Foundation chair Monica Alyea directs Dr. Eric Hoskins, Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, to look out the window to picture the location of the new hospital. – Sue Capon file photo

“I dragged him over to look out the window and said, come with me and pointed to where the new hospital would be built. ‘That’s where it’s going to be,’ I said and I still laugh about it because you’re not supposed to drag politicians around like that,” said Alyea.

But this many years later, she is grateful for all that has been accomplished.

“There are so many people that have come in where other people left off over the years. It has just been amazing, this process. I want to stay on the board until I know the hospital is built. It’s exciting and I’m so grateful.

Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health

Current Health Minister Sylvia Jones told the crowd Thursday afternoon that “There have been a lot of people who have stuck with this project and made sure that the provincial government and the ministry of health didn’t forget about the county and I just want to say congratulations, well done.”

Michael Lindsay, President and CEO of Infrastructure Ontario joked he is “the guy that literally gets to show up and stand on the shoulders of the team that’s been working so hard, and claim credit for an important milestone… This is the 12th groundbreaking ceremony we’ve had for a hospital project in the province… and 13 more in procurement.”

He congratulated the Quinte Health Team and M. Sullivan and Sons who won the “most competitive procurement for a hospital project in the province of Ontario in the last 10 years.”

Lindsay promised that as the build moves into construction Infrastructure Ontario “will continue to listen to local voices, local elected officials, local indigenous organizations to make sure that as we build, we’re building the thing that we can be collectively proud.”

PEC Mayor Steve Ferguson

“A hospital is not just a building, a physical structure,” said County Mayor Steve Ferguson. “This also acts as a symbol of our collective dedication to provide top-notch health care to our community…. The backbone of our community are the visionaries like Leo Finnegan and the volunteers and donors who roll up their sleeves, generously open their wallets or invest their time to address the needs of those who visit here, or those who now, or will, call the County home.

The fundraising, noted Ferguson, “is an incredible achievement that is a testament to the vision, generosity and commitment of residents, businesses, service clubs and supporters… and to the extraordinary leadership of the foundation’s executive director Shannon Coull and the other members of the foundation staff who have been the driving forces, along with the campaign cabinet members.

“Thank you to everyone who has played a part in this journey. As we break ground today, we are laying the foundation for a healthier future.”

Ceremonial shovels stand following the ground breaking ceremony for the County’s new hospital – right behind the current location.

The County’s new hospital is to have the capacity for 20, and up to 23, in-patient beds; a larger, 24/7 emergency department with more space for staff and patients; modern surgical suites; dialysis treatments and diagnostic imaging and outpatient services including minor surgical procedures such as endoscopies.

Last month, the hospital foundation celebrated raising about $23 million so far – with another $4 million left to meet the $27 million target which is the community’s portion (10 per cent) required for the build. The government does not fund equipment each year, or furnishings for the new hospital.