Erin Haluschak
Record staff
With nearly 1.5 years of work behind them, workers at the Comox Valley Hospital are one step closer to finishing the exterior and moving inside.
Tom Sparrow, the chief project officer of the North Island Hospitals Project, told CTV News Vancouver Island workers have been able to button up a lot of the exterior of the site, and soon will shift to the inside.
Work is also being completed on the new hospital in Campbell River at nearly the same progression, and Sparrow added while the North Island Hospitals Project is unique, there is some standardization.
“These are public private partnership projects. They’re extremely efficient projects and so everything has to be integrated and aligned exceptionally well to ensure it’s a smooth and seamless process … there’s some very good co-ordination going on between the Campbell River site and the Comox Valley as well.”
Bret Miche, senior project manager from Graham Construction, added they are in the 85 to 90 per cent range of using all-local employees.
There are more than 550 trades, apprentices and labourers working on site.
“(It’s) great news for the local economy.”
Once inside, Miche said the project will move towards interior-finish type trades, such as finish carpenters, painters, floor layers, ceiling tile installers, but explained there still will be a heavy emphasis on mechanical and electrical installation.
The 153-bed, $331.7 million hospital is on target to open in October 2017, while the 95-bed, $274.5 million Campbell River Hospital is set to open one month earlier.
For more information, visit nihp.viha.ca.