Dr. Walde gits r done! And you helped! (19 photos)

It was an emotional and nearly overwhelming moment for Dr. David Walde today, as he stood on the stairs at the new Sault Area Hospital and surveyed the outcome of nothing less than a Herculean effort by Sault-area people.

At today's ribbon-cutting ceremony, Dr. Walde spoke passionately about his early days as a cancer-care specialist in Sault Ste. Marie.

He talked about the toll it took on his patients to have to travel so far for treatments and the difference the new hospital will make in the quality of life of future cancer patients.

Walde also talked about his reasons for choosing to get involved in the effort to build the new hospital, even though he knew he would be retiring before it would be built.

"I could do nothing else," he said. "This is so important to the future of our community and the families here."

Walde's words were underscored by cheers and tears of support that welled up in many an eye watching him standing on the stairs of a brand-new hospital, pouring out his heart.

Also at today's ceremony was a large contingent of area jingle-dress dancers who danced for the healing that will come in the new building.

The ceremonies were preceded by a prayer and blessing from Garden River elder Williard Pine.

Deb Matthews, Ontario's minister of health and long-term care, was in town to congratulate all who helped it happen on time, within budget and beautifully.

Sault MPP David Orazietti, Algoma MPP Mike Brown, Sault Mayor Debbie Amaroso, former Essar Steel Chief Executive Officer Armando Plastino, Hospital President and Chief Executive Officer Ron Gagnon and SAH Board Chair Elaine Pitcher also spoke at the ceremonies.

News releases from Orazietti and Sault MP Tony Martin follow.

************************* Orazietti announces opening of new Sault Area Hospital

Ontario Liberal government delivers largest public infrastructure project in Sault’s history

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON - Today, David Orazietti, MPP for Sault Ste. Marie was joined by the Honourable Deb Matthews, minister of health and long-term care to celebrate the official ribbon cutting on the new Sault Area Hospital.

The new hospital replaces the existing facilities at the Plummer Memorial Hospital and the Sault Ste. Marie General Hospital sites and will be open to patients on March 6, 2011.

"Today we are celebrating the opening of the new state-of-the-art Sault Area Hospital, which is the most important public infrastructure project in our city, because of a commitment our government fulfilled to the people of the Sault and area,” said Orazietti. “While past governments did not have a viable plan to move this project forward and do not share our view of the importance of patient centred health care, we ensured our public hospital was built on time and on budget.”

The new hospital provides Sault Ste. Marie’s residents with a state-of-the-art facility housing enhanced programs and services in one building.

It will accommodate 291 beds, an expanded emergency department and it will provide radiation therapy services to the community for the first time.

In addition, today’s announcement includes an increase of $11,159,300 in operating funding for the new hospital in order to further expand care in a number of areas that include ambulatory care, emergency care, endoscopy, cancer care, mental health and ophthalmology.

As one of the first alternative financing and procurement hospital projects in the province, construction on the new SAH began in August 2007.

This project provided a significant economic stimulus to Sault Ste. Marie’s economy by directly and indirectly creating and supporting jobs.

On average, approximately 250 construction workers were on site daily and more than 80 percent of tradespeople involved in the project were from Sault Ste. Marie and the surrounding area.

Substantial completion of the new hospital was reached in October, 2010 on time and on budget.

Since then, hospital staff and vendors have been involved in performance testing of equipment, installation of remaining new equipment and training of approximately 2,500 staff, physicians and volunteers.

“This new hospital means that the residents of the Sault and Algoma region will have greater peace of mind knowing that they have increased access to high-quality health care so close to home,” said the Honourable Deb Matthews, minister of health and long-term care. “I’m proud to celebrate an incredible milestone that will benefit the health and wellbeing of the people of this region.”

The province has also made significant investments in a wide range of health care services for Sault and area residents since 2003 including:

- $408 million to construct new Sault Area Hospital to open March 2011.

- $40 million for 256 bed long-term care home to begin construction spring 2011.

- $31 million in additional funding to SAH for patient service enhancements.

- $22 million or 24 percent increase in annual base funding to Sault Area Hospital.

- $13.2 million to reduce wait times.

- $7.4 million for home care and community support services.

- $7.3 million for Algoma Public Health Building to open in 2011.

- $3.7 million for new medical equipment.

- $3 million to reduce emergency room wait times in Northeastern Ontario.

- $2.8 million to build Algoma Residential Community Hospice (ARCH).

- $2.2 million for EMS Response Centre.

- Constructing a nurse-led practitioner clinic at Sault College to open in 2011.

- Two new family health teams to expand primary care services in Sault Ste. Marie.

************************* Martin hails opening of new hospital

OTTAWA, ON — While having to remain here for House of Commons work, Sault MP Tony Martin’s thoughts are with the healthcare community as they celebrate the dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Sault Area Hospital today.

He had the following to say:

I was so impressed with the facility during my tour at the open house a few weeks ago and I appreciate the invitation to today’s ceremony.

I want to congratulate the many people and organizations who made this day possible.

It was and is a huge community effort that started with the amalgamation of our previous two great hospitals and a commitment to a newer facility in the 1990s.

It was our senior citizens and the Seniors Health Advisory Committee that first proposed a "green field" site.

Provincial governments of all stripes over the years saw the need, made the commitments and supported the evolution.

This is another important moment in our efforts to provide for each other the best in health care.

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