Where should new K-W hospital be built? Administrators say new survey will inform decision

As planning for a new hospital in Kitchener-Waterloo continues, the team behind the project is asking for public feedback about where the new facility should be located.

Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s Hospital, who are working together to develop the proposal for the new facility, have launched an online survey to hear from residents.

Some of the survey questions ask about the importance of travel time to the hospital, the amount of parking and proximity to public transit.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity – if not a once-in-two-generations opportunity for our community to have input on something that will impact the health and healthcare of people here and beyond for generations,” said Ron Gagnon, president and CEO of Grand River Hospital.

The hospitals are trying to figure out what’s most important to the community before they try to find a parcel of land.

Right now, the only parameter is the size. The site will need to be at least 50 acres, Gagnon says.

“There is a requirement with the Ministry of Health planning parameters to make sure you have the ability to double the size whatever it is you build over the course of its lifetime,” Gagnon said.

St. Mary's General Hospital in Kitchener, Ont. on June 22, 2022. (Dan Lauckner/CTV Kitchener)

PANEL WILL LEAD SEARCH FOR SITE

The hospitals have also announced the selection of a five-person panel who will be leading efforts to identify a site for the new building.

Former Kitchener mayor Carl Zehr will chair the group.

The hospitals say the panel will recommend a preferred site for the new build by the end of 2023.

PLANS FOR NEW HOSPITAL

The preliminary proposal for the new hospital submitted to the Ontario government includes a new state-of-the-art acute care facility with around 1,200 beds.

As part of the plan, Grand River Hospital would be repurposed as an ambulatory and urgent care centre. Grand River Hospital's Freeport Campus would be modernized and expanded for rehabilitation services.

The future of the St. Mary's Hospital site hasn't been decided yet.

Grand River Hospital in Kitchener is seen on June 8, 2022. (Alison Sandstrom/CTV Kitchener)

The hope is the new hospital will be built within the next 10 years.

There is an urgent need for a new hospital in Waterloo region. A recent study shows all three local hospitals are operating beyond their designed capacity.

Currently Waterloo region hospitals serve a population base of around 1.4 million. That is expected to hit two million in 20 years.