Excitement continues to mount around the redevelopment project at Cariboo Memorial Hospital.

Amidst the sounds of a busy construction zone, CMH staff were given tours last week of the work that is well underway. Brad Mackendrick, senior project manager and Ashley DaCosta, clinical lead of capital projects, toured staff through Phase 1, which included stops in the new emergency department, inpatient unit and maternity unit.

Phase 1, which focuses on new construction, began in April 2023 and is expected to be complete in late 2026, while Phase 2, with a 2026 start date, includes renovations to the existing hospital.

CMH Chief of Staff Dr. Jacques Neuhoff was one of the first to tour the building, which includes a new emergency department, an expanded maternity and women’s health unit, a new inpatient unit, and all new medical and surgical beds, to name a few of the many features.

“Having an opportunity to walk through the building makes me very excited for opening day and when we can start using the space, said Dr. Neuhoff. “This is going to make a big difference for patient care and for everybody working here. It will be a major improvement.”

Most of the rooms will be single patient rooms within the inpatient unit, and the emergency department will also have more rooms integrated into the design for privacy.

Photo caption: Ashley DaCosta (from left) leads a tour of the CMH redevelopment project with hospital staff Roshni Rana, Lisa Ryll, Leah Martin, Ruth Weir and Tina Pole.

Williams Lake officially said farewell to the CMH crane on Sunday, Jan. 12. The 200-foot-tall crane was dismantled during the weekend, signaling a substantial construction milestone in Phase 1 of the CMH redevelopment project.

“Now that steel and concrete framework of the building is complete, we will begin external wall finishing and move to the interior phases of the project—this is a very exiting time,” senior project manager Brad MacKendrick shared.

The new building is approximately 9,300 square metres, including a basement. It will help expand services in the emergency, medical/surgical, maternity and pharmacy departments.

Next steps in the project include completing interior construction, such as mechanical, electrical, walls, equipment, and more. Phase 1 is expected to finish in late 2026. Phase 2, which includes renovations to the existing hospital, will begin in late 2026 and is scheduled to be complete in early 2029.

"The crane dismantling went very smoothly with no hiccups occurring,” Brad added. “Thank you to staff and the public for continued patience as site impacts occurred through this significant redevelopment project."

As the sun rises over the city Sunday morning, Jan. 12, crews dismantled the crane which has been on site at CMH over the past year.

After being a part of the city skyline for the past year, the crane at CMH will be moving on in the new year.

Adorned with Christmas lights for the holiday season, the crane is currently the tallest structure in the city. The crane has been a welcomed addition in Williams Lake, as its arrival signaled the start of the construction of the main structure of the CMH redevelopment project.

Crane work will wrap up at the end of December, and the crane will be disassembled in early January.

Project manager Brad Mackendrick said the dismantling of the construction crane marks the end of the phase of the project which involves the completion of the main structure.

“We are now moving forward with the interior fit-out phase,” said Brad.

Christmas lights shine brightly over the city from the crane at CMH for the second year in a row.

Dave Aikens knows exactly how many steps it takes to get to work every day -- 160 rungs straight up a ladder requiring one rest stop along the way.

But once he is in his chair, Dave is on top of the world for the day enjoying his job as the crane operator for the Cariboo Memorial Hospital (CMH) redevelopment project.

Dave admits he was awe-struck the first time he watched a construction crane work. For residents in Williams Lake and CMH staff, the crane has been an exciting addition to the skyline; towering over the city as a signal of the construction that began in 2023. Last winter, the crane was even decorated with festive Christmas lights.

Dave says he has enjoyed the sights from his perch during his 17 years as a crane operator. In addition to the views in Williams Lake, Dave has experienced beautiful scenes from across the country.

“Nothing beats a sunrise or a sunset in the crane, or seeing a wicked storm roll though the river valley and telling the crew they are going to get wet in T-minus five minutes.”

Nothing beats a morning sunrise over the city like the view from Dave Aikens’ chair in the crane at CMH.

Dave is originally from Edmonton and started his construction career as a laborer there in his twenties.

“My first project, I was just awe-stuck with the crane. I had to work with it and be a part of it and with a lot of hard work and drive the opportunity came. As an operator I've had the pleasure to work from Winnipeg to Vancouver and many places in between. And that brings me to Williams Lake where my company Pagnotta Industries and Graham Construction amongst others are working on your expansion at the hospital.”

The crane at CMH is a Terex Peiner SK 315 with a lifting capacity of 10,140 pounds at its tip (196 feet), 13,800 pounds total lift in a two-part line and 27,500 in a four-part line. Operating a crane in various weather conditions, especially wind, is challenging but there are policies and procedures in place to guide them.

Winston Baskerville is working on the project with Dave as an apprentice crane operator. Winston works as a rigger, but also gains experience in the crane with Dave conducting maintenance, safety checks and inspections with some operating time on slower days.

The CMH Redevelopment Project Team is hosting three Indigenous engagement sessions where we are seeking your feedback on the following:

• The traditional language and phrases for the outside of the main hospital and emergency entrance
• Choice of animal pictographs on the outside of the hospital
• Choice of plants for the harvestable garden

Please join us for one of the sessions. RSVP to Jennifer.Goulet@interiorhealth.ca to reserve your place. A meal will be provided at each session.

Monday, September 16 from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. at WLFN Council Chambers, 2561 Quigli Dr, Williams Lake

Tuesday, September 17 from 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. at All Nations Healing House, 281 1 Ave N, Williams Lake

Friday, October 4 from 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. at Elizabeth Grouse Gymnasium, 2674 Indian Drive, Williams Lake

Construction at Cariboo Memorial Hospital continues to make progress as new floors continue to be added to the new building. The new second and third storeys will be home to the new 36-bed medical unit.

Construction progress at CMH

The construction crane went up at CMH on Dec. 7-8. The crane towers 200-feet tall and another 200-feet wide and is lit up with Christmas lights at night. It is expected to be in Williams Lake for about eleven months.

The Williams Lake Tribune was on site for a tour in December. Read their story.

Health Minister Adrian Dix visited Williams Lake on Tuesday, July 4 to celebrate the beginning of construction on the redevelopment of Cariboo Memorial Hospital with President and CEO Susan Brown and local community representatives.

The project includes a three-storey addition, as well as renovations to the existing facility. The redevelopment will add 25 new beds for a total of 53. This includes a new medical/surgical inpatient unit with 36 beds (an increase of 16), a new mental-health and substance-use inpatient unit with eight single-occupancy rooms, a patient-seclusion room and an expanded ambulatory-care and oncology unit with 16 renovated treatment spaces.

There will be a new emergency department with 23 treatment spaces (an increase of 12), two trauma-treatment bays, a seclusion room, an ambulance carport and a separate public entrance.

The new addition will also have an expanded maternity and women’s health unit with four single-occupancy rooms for maternity care, two nursery rooms and two women’s health beds in private rooms. The maternity area will allow parents to stay in the same room with their babies until they are ready to go home.

The pharmacy will be expanded, providing additional space for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. An interfaith sacred space will allow for traditional cultural and healing practices. There will be 71 new parking stalls.

Construction will happen in two phases. The first phase, which will include the three-storey addition, is expected to finish in 2026. Phase 2 will start after that, will include further renovations and is scheduled to be complete in 2029.