Interior work advances at new Dawson Creek hospital amid search for ER art

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — Construction on the new Dawson Creek and District Hospital continues to progress, with interior finishing work now well underway.

According to the quarterly project update, posted January 30th, exterior cladding and louvers are nearing completion, while crews inside the building are focused on drywall, painting, flooring and wall protection. 

Northern Health said painting is done on levels one and two, wall protection is 81 per cent finished and flooring installation is roughly 75 per cent complete. 

Doors, hardware, fixtures and ceiling tiles are also being installed in many areas in the final stages of development.

According to the health authority, a “major milestone” was reached in January with the startup of the hospital’s air handling units, bringing key building systems online. 

Mechanical commissioning has begun in some areas, with electrical crews advancing equipment setup, pre-commissioning and cable installation. Permanent lighting has also been energized in some parts of the building.

The update also says furniture planning is underway, with Contemporary Office Interiors selected to supply furnishings for the new hospital.

Northern Health is also inviting Peace region artists to submit an ‘expression of interest’ (EOI) to design a sculpture which will be installed outside the emergency department entrance. 

According to the health authority, the sculpture is intended to “symbolize the values of health, healing and community while reflecting the unique identity of the Peace region.”

More information on submitting an EOI can be found at the project’s Let’s Talk page. EOIs must be submitted by March 6th at 5 p.m.

The Dawson Creek and District Hospital Foundation is also aiming to raise $3 million to bring the first publicly-funded MRI machine to the new hospital, with ARC Resources contributing $1.5 million as the campaign’s lead donor.

According to the foundation, the MRI will reduce patient travel and will provide faster diagnoses, decreasing wait times.

More information on the campaign can be found at the foundation’s website.

Northern Health says the new hospital will include 311 parking stalls, more than 100 additional spaces compared to the current site, and parking will remain free. 

Once the new facility is operational, targeted for early 2027, the existing hospital will become inactive, be emptied and then demolished, with the site cleared for future development.