KELOWNA - The countdown is on at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH). Under 100 days remain until the new Centennial and East Pandosy buildings open.

Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick and other dignitaries joined physicians, staff, volunteers and community members today to unveil a special clock that will count down the days until both buildings open at 7 a.m. on Sunday, May 27, 2012.

"It's an exciting time around Kelowna General Hospital," said Letnick, on behalf of Michael de Jong, Minister of Health. "We now have under 100 days until the Centennial and East Pandosy buildings open, bringing a higher quality of care for Southern Interior residents for years to come."

Construction on the Centennial Building began Nov. 17, 2008. The Centennial Building forms the cornerstone of the expansion of patient care services in the Central Okanagan, as part of the Kelowna and Vernon Hospitals Project. This $433-million project also includes a new patient care tower in Vernon, as well as the UBC faculty of medicine and Interior Health Clinical Academic Campus at KGH.

Construction on the East Pandosy Building began Feb. 11, 2011. It will bring lab and clinical support services under one roof. The East Pandosy Building will support the Interior Heart and Surgical Centre (IHSC) Project by allowing the relocation of existing hospital departments for construction to start on the IHSC building.

"We are another step closer towards offering brand-new health-care facilities to Central Okanagan residents," said Norman Embree, Interior Health Board chair. "I am looking forward to the opening of these buildings on time and on budget in just a few short months. These buildings will help to ensure continuing and improving high-quality patient care at Kelowna General Hospital for years to come."

The Centennial Building will add a total of about 33,445 square metres (360,000 square feet) of space to the KGH site. The building will consolidate and modernize a series of programs and services to improve health service delivery, including expanded emergency and ambulatory care departments, new larger operating rooms, a rooftop helipad, a new renal department and eye care clinic.

The Centennial Building will also include the relocation of the McNair Mental Health and Substance Use Unit and 34 medical teaching inpatient beds. A further 7,848 square metres (84,470 square feet) of clinical support space will be available in the East Pandosy Building.

"These buildings will provide us with an exceptional level of patient care and support," said James Baker, vice-chair of the Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District, which is contributing more than $190 million to the construction of new facilities at KGH. "The Centennial and East Pandosy buildings will offer much welcome space to meet the patient care needs of Central Okanagan residents now and well into the future."

The buildings were constructed using the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) whole building approach to sustainability and will be LEED Gold certified. They were designed from a patient-focused perspective, with extensive input from clinical staff, and will offer an enhanced environment for healing, with particular acknowledgement of the needs of the elderly, who are both patients and visitors.

To learn more about the Kelowna and Vernon Hospitals Project and the Interior Heart and Surgical Centre Project, visit: www.buildingpatientcare.ca

Media Contacts:

Ryan Jabs
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)

Cam McAlpine
Communications Officer
Building Patient Care Projects
Interior Health
250 801-1741