People will benefit from the major expansion at Penticton Regional Hospital as final renovations wrap up at the David E. Kampe Tower.

“Patients in Penticton and the South Okanagan-Similkameen region will have access to public health care in modern surroundings at the fully completed tower,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “Our government proudly supports this project, and I thank everyone involved in making it happen.” 

The six-storey David E. Kampe Tower opened in April 2019 with enhanced care spaces, including single-patient rooms, large operating rooms and state-of-the-art equipment.

The second phase of the project included a major expansion to the hospital's emergency department, which added new trauma rooms, exam rooms, patient registration and a waiting area. The project also included a new hospital pharmacy and a 480-stall parkade.

“I am grateful to everyone involved in the David E. Kampe Tower project, from our health-care workers to the project team and all the construction partners,” said Susan Brown, president and CEO, Interior Health. “There was tremendous collaboration and effort to complete both phases. People in the south Okanagan and Similkameen now have a world-class health-care facility that matches the skill of the people who work there.”

In addition to modernizing the hospital campus with a new main entrance and space for patients, families, staff and doctors, the David E. Kampe Tower project received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Canada Gold certification, acknowledging the project has achieved its environmental design goals for new construction and major renovation projects.

In its certification, the Canada Green Building Council noted the project was constructed with sustainable materials, added charging stations for electric vehicles, included water-use efficiencies, reused existing building materials and recycled content, increased ventilation, and utilized high-efficiency windows and natural light.

The tower was named after David E. Kampe, Penticton businessperson and philanthropist, who died in 2019. 

“This project has been an incredible journey for Penticton Regional Hospital,” said Carl Meadows, executive director of clinical operations, Interior Health. “It has truly changed the way we deliver health care in the region. David Kampe wanted this facility to be like a five-star hotel and at the grand opening he told me it was indeed that beautiful. He would be thrilled with the difference this facility has made in people’s lives, from patients to staff and physicians. It’s been a wonderful addition to the south Okanagan.”

The project was completed in partnership with EllisDon within a budget of $308 million shared between the provincial government, the Okanagan-Similkameen Regional Hospital District, Interior Health and South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation.