The BC Government Project Board overseeing the North Island Hospitals Project has approved the consultant team that will develop the business case for the construction of new hospitals in the Comox Valley and Campbell River.
“I am very pleased that the consultant team includes firms with a lot of North Island experience both in health care and other projects,” said MLA Comox Valley Don McRae. “The quality of this team will ensure that a terrific business case will be delivered to the provincial government on behalf of the residents of the North Island and Comox Valley.”
In November 2010, a request for proposals was issued for a number of specialties involved in producing a high-quality business case. Sixty-three submissions were received and ultimately 14 consultants were selected to participate in this process, many with significant Vancouver Island and North Island experience.
“We are very fortunate to have assembled a consultant team of this high quality,” said North Island Hospitals project director Grant Hollett. “I am looking forward to getting out in the community with the team and assembling a business case that will be presented to government later this year.”
Over the coming months, the consultant team will work with local governments, VIHA physicians and staff and the community at large to produce a comprehensive business case that will confirm the scope and budget of the project.
“During the preparation of the business case, we will get a real sense of what our new hospitals will look and feel like,” said Comox-Strathcona Regional Hospital District chair Charlie Cornfield. “This will be a very exciting time for all North Island communities as we help shape the future of our hospitals for the next 50 years.”
The consulting team architect is Dialog, based in Calgary and Vancouver based. Its hospital design experience includes the under-construction CFB Comox healthcare facility.
Civil engineering and surveying will be handled by McElhanney Engineering, which has offices in the Comox Valley and Campbell River. McElhanney has worked on North Island College's Courtenay and Campbell River campuses as well as the CVRD's Aquatic Centre and Sports Centre expansion.
The geotechnical engineer will be Victoria-based Thurber Engineering Ltd., which has worked on St. Joseph’s General Hospital in Comox.
For more information, visit www.viha.ca/about_viha/news.