Awarding of contract for new Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital

Percy Barrett, Minister of Works, Services and Transportation, along with Gerald Smith, Acting Minister of Health and Community Services and Kevin Aylward, Minister of Tourism and Culture, announced today that the major completions contract to construct the new Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital in Stephenville has been awarded to Allied Constructors Ltd. of St. John�s. This contract is valued at nearly $21 million (excluding HST).

"This new facility replaces the old Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital which served the people of Stephenville for more than 50 years," said Minister Barrett. "People in this region can expect a new state of the art facility to be constructed by the spring of 2003 and ready for operation by August 2003.

"Government�s top priority is health and we are committed to providing quality health and community services throughout all regions of the province," said Minister Smith. "The new facility in Stephenville will be double the operational size of the current hospital, and will continue to offer all existing medical programs and services in the modern facility. In addition to the new dialysis program which is currently underway in the area, a new satellite mammography program will be centered in the hospital."

"This construction project will create employment for 110 construction workers over the next two years," said Minister Aylward. "When this new facility opens, it will complement other health facilities in the Western Region and enhance medical services for the people of this area, for many years to come."

The new Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital will be a one story, 10,577 square metre structure situated on Minnesota Drive in Stephenville. It will incorporate: ambulatory clinics and an emergency department; diagnostic, treatment and clinical support services, and a surgical suite; a critical care unit, renal dialysis unit, medical/surgical units containing in-patient beds; non clinical services such as materials management, environmental services, plant operations; staff amenities, and a cafeteria.

The total project is forecast to cost $34.5 million, of which over $5 million has been spent during the past two years on the facility design and planning, preparation of the site infrastructure, installation of building foundations and structural frame. A further $2 million in construction will be tendered over the next year in connection with site paving, road intersection improvements, and procurement of hardware, building signage and other fixtures.

Media contact: Lynn Evans, Communications, (709) 729-3015

2001 08 27                                                   9:30 a.m.