Foundation wall construction begins on new Dawson Creek hospital

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — Work on the foundation walls of the Dawson Creek and District Hospital replacement began in December, with further construction on the concrete structure planned for the coming months.

According to the latest construction update on the new hospital, work was also started on the interior columns, gas and electrical setup for site heating and backfill of deep foundations.

In the coming months, work will continue to focus on the concrete superstructure.

The project team plans to review the formal 95 per cent design submission in March.

Work on the project began in the summer of 2023 after B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix announced that Graham Design Builders would design and build the new facility in coordination with Northern Health and Infrastructure BC.

In July, a group of members from the Dawson Creek Hospital, the Northern Health Board and the city broke ground at the new hospital’s location.

By September, the excavation was completed, and the concrete pouring began before winter preparations were made on the project in November, which included installing insulated tarps and thawing machines.

At the end of November 2023, a second 41-metre-tall tower crane was installed at the location to assist with construction. The first tower crane was placed at the beginning of October and is 50 metres tall.

The new facility will be approximately 24,500 square metres and have 70 beds, 24 more than the current hospital in Dawson Creek.

The latest updates on the hospital can be found on Northern Health’s Let’s Talk website.