New Westminster’s Royal Columbian Hospital has received a monster donation from a couple with deep connections to the facility.
Walt and Judi Weaver have made a six-figure commitment through the W J Weaver Foundation towards Royal Columbian’s $1.49-billion redevelopment. The donation to the foundation by has been made in support the construction of a pediatric/family waiting area in a new Emergency Department.
Walt was born at Royal Columbian, while Judi once worked in the hospital’s medical imaging and medical records departments. Their three children and eight grandchildren were all born at Royal Columbian.
“With this gift, we would like to honour our deep roots to the community and its people,” says Walt, who lives in Coquitlam. “We would like to ensure those who require it have access to the services needed to aid and maintain optimum health.”
The W J Weaver Foundation was established in 2005 as a way for the couple to give back and share their good fortune with their communities. Since opening, the foundation has provided financial support to numerous organizations.
The expanded Emergency Department, with 75 state-of-the-art treatment bays, a satellite medical imaging unit, and an increase in total ER space of more than half, will open inside a new Acute Care Tower that is scheduled to be complete in 2024 as part of phase 2 of the hospital’s redevelopment. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2020, following completion of the new Mental Health and Substance Use Wellness Centre that is part of phase 1 of redevelopment.
