Infrastructure Minister Pete Guthrie at Red Deer City Hall on Monday. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

By Alessia Proietti

March 2024: Public information session

Schematics complete for Red Deer Regional Hospital expansion, says Infrastructure Minister

Feb 5, 2024 | 7:49 PM

While stopping in Red Deer City Hall on Monday, Minister of Infrastructure Pete Guthrie confirmed the schematics stage for the Red Deer Regional Hospital expansion is complete.

While visiting various new buildings like the Recovery Centre and the Child Advocacy Centre, the minister spoke with city council during their regular meeting.

According to the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, the schematic design will take the client’s requirements during pre-design, and put them into physical architectural form. Aspects include descriptions of structural, mechanical, and electrical systems, and the space required for these systems like vertical shafts, construction costs, and scheduling for design and construction.

Guthrie said these designs, created by Dialog Design, have been given to the Ministry of Health and a public engagement session is looking to be scheduled for March 2024.

The next stage in the project will be design, he says.

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The minister added that MLA for Red Deer-South Jason Stephan has been advocating for his visit over the past few months and he is glad to have made it happen.

Stephan felt the visit was positive, particularly for city council to voice their various perspectives and the concerns of the community, and says he is eager to keep the public informed on the project’s progress.

“Red Deer is starting to see fair treatment and that is awesome to see. This hospital, that is so long overdue, and it is in progress,” he said. “When ministers are here, it’s beneficial both ways because we’re all collectively wanting to serve our community.”

He reminds the public of the in-person engagement session with Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health and MLA for Red Deer-North, this Thursday at 9 a.m. regarding the future of Alberta’s health care system.

READ: In-person engagements on future of Alberta health care start next week

Mayor Ken Johnston said he is happy to see things progress around the hospital, such as council’s recent rezoning and lane closure to accommodate a proposed Ambulatory Care Facility by Alberta Health Services next to the Hospital.

READ: City council approves rezoning and lane closure application for proposed Ambulatory Care Facility

He adds that he is optimistic to see more concrete plans at the next open house for the hospital expansion project, as the first one in January 2023 was more conceptual in nature, discussing the functional programming stage which includes design objectives, site requirements and constraints, and building systems and equipment, among other aspects.

READ: Functional programming near complete for hospital expansion; lots of work to go

While the Infrastructure Minister primarily focuses on funding projects, council advised Guthrie to come prepared with interim plans for the local healthcare system during construction, as that is what the public wants to hear, the mayor said.

While no update for interim plans, Johnston said one mission would be to increase ancillary services in mental health and addictions, as well as permanent supportive and seniors housing, to lessen the strain on the hospital.

“There’s just an awareness now that when we pull a lever, for example in addictions, it’s going to have an impact on our hospital,” he said. “Societally, we have to get that into our heads that the hospital can’t be just a last stop or an emergency stop for those folks that lack other kinds of services.”

Council also discussed with the minister the idea for high-speed rail and the development of an economic corridor in central Alberta through expanded transportation systems.

Regarding the Justice Centre, Guthrie said construction is near completion, with handover and furniture put in the building over the next couple of months. He said once staff are fully trained, an official opening date will be announced.

Finally, while the permanent shelter topic is still under the Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services, Guthrie said he will be investigating the topic to see where the project is in its development. Mayor Johnston said there is no current update.

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