It’s a bird, it’s a plane – it’s the future helipad at Royal Columbian Hospital.
While construction of a new 75-bed mental health and substance abuse building is set to begin in the fall of 2016, Phase 1 of the project will get underway with the construction of a new temporary parking lot and helipad. The new 62-metre elevated helipad will be built at the southeast corner of the site, across from the TransLink building at East Columbia and Keary streets.
“It’s right on top of the new construction site, so we have to move it out of the way,” explained Hal Collier, director of capital projects for Fraser Health.
Construction of the helipad, which includes a roof-level walkway and elevators so paramedics can wheel patients into the hospital, will get underway in the spring to fall of 2016. Fraser Health’s long-term goal is to build a new helipad on top of the new acute care tower that’s proposed in Phase 2 of the Royal Columbian Hospital redevelopment plan.
Before the current helipad was built, helijets bringing patients to Royal Columbian Hospital used to land in Sapperton Park.
“We are very fortune to have this helipad here,” said Coun. Bill Harper. “Quite frankly, it saves lives.”
More than 200 flights land at the hospital’s helipad each year, Collier said, which can include multiple trips in one day if there’s a major incident. He said it’s expected to have at least 200 visits yearly in the future, but that could increase when the new acute tower opens and more beds are in place at Royal Columbian Hospital.
“It’s a very active helipad,” he said.
While the helipad’s location will move, Collier said the goal is to maintain roughly the same flight pattern that helijets already use to access the site. He said Fraser Health will have “extensive” consultation with area residents.
Coun. Lorrie Williams, who lives in the neighbourhood, said some Sapperton residents aren’t fond of the sound of the helicopters, but “it’s music to my ears” because it means someone is getting the help they need at the hospital.
In addition to moving the helipad, Fraser Health is also taking steps to address parking on the site during Phase 1 construction. The health facility is being built on Allen Street, which is now home to a 300-stall parking lot and will include a new underground parking lot with more than 400 stalls.
To address the loss of parking while the new building is under construction, Fraser will shuttle employees to the hospital from a temporary off-site leased lot. It’s also creating a temporary patient and visitor parking lot at East Columbia and Sherbrooke streets.
Williams is concerned 40 “gorgeous” trees will need to be removed in order to create the temporary parking lot.
Collier said Fraser Health will try to “strike a balance” between providing parking and preserving trees, but noted it’s “quite sensitive” to the impact that parking has on the Sapperton neighbourhood. In addition to providing temporary parking and shuttling employees from an off-site parking location, he said Fraser Health is also trying to convince people of the “glories” of taking transit.
Since the province gave the green light for Phase 1 in May, Fraser Health has been busy working on plans for the site.
According to Collier, the plan is to finish Phase 1 construction by the fall of 2019. Fraser Health is currently developing a business case for Phase 2, which includes construction of a new central tower including more operation rooms and a new Emergency Room.
Mayor Jonathan Cote said Royal Columbian Hospital is an “incredible institution” In New Westminster, providing health-care services, being the city’s largest employer and offering economic impacts. He said the city will continue to work with Farer Health on the plans and encouraged Fraser Health to ensure the community is well aware of the development.
