Construction of a new Intensive Care Unit at Cranbrook's hospital is progressing to schedule, Interior Health said in a release on Wednesday, July 2.
The $20 million project began in May and will continue until summer 2016.
The new ICU will add an 8,500 square foot building to East Kootenay Regional Hospital with six patient rooms. It will be located on the northeast corner of the hospital.
The addition will replace the ageing, cramped four-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the hospital. The size and design of the new ICU will provide better flow through the unit for physicians and staff and providing additional privacy. The enhanced care environment for patients will feature integrated family spaces and maximized natural light.
The project includes a significant electrical upgrade to the entire hospital. The electrical infrastructure will be located in the basement of the new addition.
Interior Health said on Wednesday that the majority of excavation for the hospital addition is now complete. Work on the foundations and the actual building structure has begun. This work will continue through the summer.
Work will continue on site from approximately 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. throughout the summer.
There will be periodic interruptions to normal traffic patterns during construction. Interior Health is working with the contractor to minimize these impacts and appreciates the ongoing patience of local residents and visitors to the hospital.
The B.C. government is funding approximately $12 million of the project and the Kootenay East Regional Hospital District is contributing $8 million. The East Kootenay Foundation for Health is contributing $120,000.